#zoey's is a close second

[foundharmony]

" If he won’t lean down then Mira’s suggestion it is" 😌

[mangora]

I just know that if ROTI took place two years later, Mike would not shut up about NBC’s Community

[zoeyserpentluck]

I love watching wildlife return to my backyard after a year of having the bird feeder. Yesterday I spotted the 7th bird species to come and eat, the Finch, and it is the 8th species in total I have spotted around here (the crows don’t come to eat). Today I spotted a squirrel (and I believe it is the native red squirrel not the invasive grey one). I haven’t seen squirrels in at least 5 years here.

[nadvs]

wish you’d ask me (one-shot)

pairing zach maclaren x female reader

summary you and your friend zach are on your way to a weekend retreat when suddenly, you wake up in the hospital with a concussion. zach is relieved you’re okay, until he realizes that you’re under the impression that he’s your boyfriend.

tags plot-flip of ‘the other zoey’ where reader loses her memory. college setting. friends to lovers. mutual pining. mentioned song is ‘red love’ by dream ivory (zach gives indie soft boy yfm). angst and fluff. no smut. hugs to my zach girlies @juniebugg & @nemesyaaa <3 divider credit.

» masterlist

››› friday

“Uh oh,” you mumble.

“What is it?” Zach asks. His gaze is fixed ahead, the snowy road a stretch of glittering white under the afternoon sun. You bring your phone up closer to your face.

“Chase just texted the group,” you explain. “Apparently, the furnace broke.”

“Uh oh,” he echoes.

“Exactly,” you say with a defeated laugh. “What now? Do we cancel? We can’t be out there all weekend with no heat.”

Zach checks the time on his dashboard to see you have thirty minutes left of the drive to the cabin you rented with your friends. The four of them are already there, waiting for you two.

“Nevermind,” you say. “Esha texted. The only thing broken is Chase’s sense of humor. I’m this close to throwing him outside and locking the door.”

You hold up your hand in a pinching motion.

“And she used this emoji,” you explain with a giggle.

Zach’s eyes drift to you, an endeared smile pulling on his lips.

“Appreciate the demonstration,” he says.

He reaches a red light and forces himself not to stare at you. He’s afraid that one day, his feelings for you will refuse to stay stuck in his heart and he’ll just blurt them out.

The past hour in the car with you has been a dream. Really, any time he spends with you is a dream. You’re usually all together as a group, so he cherishes the rare moments he gets to be alone with you.

He knows admitting his feelings to you comes with the risk of losing your friendship and fracturing the bond you both have in the group. But sometimes, it’s like keeping them in actually physically hurts.

“What’s your favorite emoji?” you ask. “No, wait.” You think back to the texts you’ve exchanged over the many months you’ve been friends. “I already know. It’s the guy running. Your version of saying on my way.”

“It’s efficient,” he replies with a shrug.

“Okay, so, what’s your second favorite emoji?” you say.

Zach laughs heartily and says, “You never run out of questions.”

“Do you mean that in a ‘you’re so much fun’ way,” you ask, “or in a ‘I’m too nice to say it, but shut up’ way?”

“Please don’t shut up,” he says in a rush. “You’re keeping me entertained.”

“It’s the least I can do after you stayed back for me.”

You were the only person in your friend group who had a class you couldn’t miss today. Zach offered to leave for the cabin with you, saying he had an important essay he wanted to finish this morning anyway, while everyone else drove up last night.

He had already finished that essay two days ago.

“It was no problem,” he replies. He means it. Nothing is too difficult for him if it’s for you.

“I’ll still pay you back,” you say. You stifle a yawn, fighting off the fatigue that’s been melting into you for the past hour. “What can I get you? What do you want most in the world?”

Zach chews on his bottom lip, pretending to think, when really, what he wants most in the world is sitting in his passenger seat, the prettiest and kindest girl he’s ever known, her gaze burning into him in his peripheral vision.

“A life-changing cup of hot cocoa,” he replies.

“Big ask, but you got it,” you agree with a laugh. “You can enjoy it in your grandpa pj’s.”

Zach smirks. A few nights ago, on a group video call, you amusedly pointed out the plaid button-up he was wearing in bed.

“They’re comfortable,” he counters.

“They’re still pajamas an old man would wear,” you tease. Your phone buzzes in your lap. “It’s Chase. Esha ruined my prank. Scaring us that we’ll freeze? What kind of prank is that?”

“He’s ridiculous,” Zach laughs.

The six of you met back when you were put together for a group project. You all got along so well that you started hanging out outside of class. Zach has grown to deeply care for everyone in the group. You, especially.

“I’ve been playing my music this whole ride,” you realize. “It’s only fair that you get to choose the songs for the last stretch.”

“It’s okay,” he reassures. “You’re a good dj.”

“For once in your life, stop being so nice and just play what you want,” you tease. “Since your phone is the GPS, we can keep using mine. Do you have any public playlists?”

He scratches his cheek, nerves filling his chest.

“You’ll make fun of me,” he says.

“Zachary,” you gasp. “When have I ever made fun of you?”

“Like, a minute ago.”

“Other than that.”

“Five minutes ago?”

You laugh again and Zach swears it’s the nicest sound he’s ever heard. Nicer than any song either of you could put on.

“My music is either workout stuff or just… sappy,” he admits.

“I’d expect nothing less,” you respond with a chuckle. “No pressure, but I promise, I won’t judge.”

He breathes a laugh and tells you his username, praying he can keep a straight face if the songs he listens to when he’s thinking about you play.

You tap on the playlist he titled ‘Relaxing’ and sink back in your seat as you gaze out the window. The glass is a little fogged, the world looking like it was dusted with powdered sugar.

The gentle guitar spills out of the speakers as your eyes travel over snow-covered peaks of evergreens that line the road.

Your heart pulls once you hear the song’s first lines, curious if Zach relates to them.

I’m the type of guy, trying not to fight

Not so perfect but I always try to bring the light

He’s easygoing and optimistic – that much is true. But not so perfect? If you had the chance, you’d tell him how perfect he is, over and over again.

Your eyes slowly flutter shut, lulled by the melody. You tell yourself not to daydream about the man sitting next to you when you’re certain he doesn’t feel the same way you do, but it’s easier said than done.

You can’t help it. The longer you’re Zach’s friend, the more you have to yearn for. You’re convinced he has the purest heart you’ve ever known.

But through the conversations you’ve had with your friends about your love lives, you’ve learned that Zach is a romantic, never nervous to pursue a girl he likes. And if he liked you, you’re sure he’d have told you by now.

When you swore Esha and Maggie to secrecy regarding your crush on him, they were confident he feels the same way. You still aren’t.

I don’t wanna feel insecure about a thing

But she makes me feel like I don’t even know what’s happening

Pull me closer and it’s like I forget what was wrong

The thought of pulling Zach closer, of making his insecurities and problems go away makes your stomach twist with warmth.

And then, you’re lying in bed with him, cocooned in a fluffy duvet, your hand on his cheek as you gaze at him. Your heart is full, the air buzzing with love. He worryingly asks you if you slept enough. You nod and he tells you how beautiful you are and you press your lips on his.

Sudden stillness stirs you awake. You meet his sweet blue eyes.

Oh. You fell asleep. And you had a dream about Zach so tender that your heart is still racing, your lips tingling from the kisses he never even gave you.

“Did we make it?” you murmur, tumbling back into reality, grounding yourself in the fact that you’re in a parked car, not a cozy bed.

“Not yet,” Zach says. “I wanted to make a quick stop. Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

You look through the windshield to see a convenience store sign, the bottom skirted in translucent icicles.

“It’s okay,” you stutter, unbuckling your seatbelt. “It’ll be good to stretch my legs.”

Cold air pricks your cheeks when you step out of the car. Even though Zach has no idea what your subconscious just threw you into, it’s embarrassing to be around him after such an romantic dream.

You round the car and approach the front door, which Zach is holding open for you. In your daze, you realize you forgot your wallet.

“My wallet,” you say in a hush, turning back.

“I’ll cover it,” Zach offers.

But you’re already scurrying to the car. And then, you lose your balance.

.❅❅❅.

The weight in Zach’s stomach is catastrophically heavy.

You’ve been in a confused daze since your fall. And he’s worried sick.

He stands next to you as you sit in bed, blinking slowly. Since he helped pick you up off the icy concrete and drove you to the nearest hospital, you’ve been slowly coming to your senses.

The doctor comes in and asks a few questions. You get the first few right – your full name, your date of birth, your major, your address. All said confidently, even through the fog blocking your mind.

That’s a relief.

But then, you’re not sure what day of the week it is. You can’t tell her what you had for breakfast. And, most confusing of all, when the doctor asks if you know who he is, you say, “Zach. My boyfriend.”

He swallows hard, the word fluttering in his mind. Boyfriend?

The doctor runs a few tests, checking your coordination and reflexes, then offers a sympathetic grimace.

“You have a mild concussion. You’re not showing any serious signs I’m concerned about, but we should do a CT scan just in case.” The doctor looks to Zach. “Can you come with me to help book it?”

He nods, giving you one more worried glance before he trails the doctor out of the room.

After he tucks the appointment card in his wallet, he listens to the doctor’s instructions. Rest. Hydrate. Reduce stress. No screens. Come back if symptoms worsen.

“What if she’s remembering things wrong?” Zach asks. “I… uh, I’m not her boyfriend. We’re just friends.”

“Her memory will likely come back to her in pieces,” the doctor reassures. “It’s normal that things are jumbled. She’ll be fragile for a bit.”

“What do I do? Is it best for her healing if I play along?”

“The less stress on her brain, the better,” she says. “You can calmly tell her what she has wrong or let her believe the minor, harmless things until she’s herself again. I’m sure she’ll be better soon and you won’t even have to correct her.”

Zach’s chest strains in anxiety, worried that he’ll mess something up. The last thing he wants to do is impede your healing by stressing you out.

When he comes back into the room, your eyes light up in a way they never have for him before. He tries not to let it get to him.

“Hey,” you say lazily, gazing at him with adoration. “Is it booked? Can we go now? We’re so late.”

“That’s what you’re worried about?” he says softly. “You’re injured.”

You giggle, stretching your arm out. Hesitatingly, Zach steps closer, letting you warmly hold his hand atop the thin blanket. He feels guilty for enjoying it.

“Did you tell them what happened?” you ask.

“Yeah, I – uh, I…” He begins to stammer as you gently run your fingers over his knuckles. “I should update them, actually.”

He pulls away abruptly, taking his phone out, brows furrowed. A simple touch from you is overwhelming enough, let alone when you’re only doing it because you’re concussed and confused.

You watch him text, his expression tense. He’s always like this, so worried about you. You think back to a few days ago, when he was concerned you didn’t get enough sleep as you lazed in bed together.

“Relax,” you say gently. “She said it was mild, right?”

“Yeah.” Zach keeps his eyes on the screen, unsure of how to tell your friends you’re under the impression you’re dating. “You just need to take it easy. You’ll be back to normal soon.”

.❅❅❅.

You catch up on the group texts you missed after your fall when you settle in Zach’s car. You’re reading the last message, which is Esha saying something about seeing you soon when Zach turns on the engine.

You can’t quite make out the words. Then you realize Zach’s been trying to talk to you.

“What?” you say.

“You shouldn’t look at a screen,” he says gently.

“Right.” You lower your phone. “I can barely read right now anyway.”

“Can you put your seatbelt on?”

“Yes.” You turn, the motion suddenly making you dizzy. Your eyes pinch shut and you hold your head with a pained sigh.

Zach has never been more upset at himself. He’s supposed to be taking care of you. The doctor called you fragile. He’s already messing up.

“Sorry,” he says. “Just relax, okay? I’ll take care of it.”

He leans over, pulling your seatbelt into the buckle. You keep your eyes shut, feeling his forehead brush against your cheek, enjoying the warm, rich fragrance that’s so Zach.

You might not remember everything, but you remember how much you love the way he smells.

“Thanks, baby,” you murmur and plant a kiss on his temple.

Zach’s stomach goes wild with butterflies. Heavy guilt sets in again. He can’t go on like this. It feels wrong to play along.

He pulls back and you look at him past heavy lids.

“We should talk,” he says, “about our friendship.”

He has no idea how to navigate this conversation. The doctor said to correct you calmly. There’s nothing calm about the way his heart is pounding right now.

“We haven’t told them, have we?” you ask. “I can’t remember ever acting like a couple around them. Is that what you mean?”

You think he’s talking about your friendships with the group waiting at the cabin.

This might be the best way to do this.

He’ll let you believe that you’re keeping your relationship under wraps. He’ll avoid any opportunity to be alone with you until your mind is straight again. And eventually, it’ll come to you that you and him aren’t actually together.

“Yeah,” he agrees. “We have to act like we’re just friends in front of them.”

“Why’d we decide to do that again?” you ask.

Zach nervously taps his knee.

“Malek had a really bad breakup,” he explains. “We didn’t want to rub it in his face.”

“Oh, yeah,” you say. The memory comes to you, choppy but clear enough. “Dumped via text. Poor guy.”

He flashes a relieved smile. It’s reassuring that you remember something that happened a week ago.

“Right,” he says. He puts the car in drive. The sooner he gets to the cabin, the sooner he can stop putting on this act. “We should get going.”

.❅❅❅.

Your friends are quiet and reluctant to come too close when you step into the cabin.

“Guys, I’m fine,” you laugh.

“How are you feeling?” Maggie asks, wide-eyed. “Do you remember me?”

“Of course,” you say. “It’s just a headache now.”

“You should sit down,” Zach urges behind you. He puts down the bags he brought in from the car that he refused to let you carry.

“It feels like I’ve been sitting all day,” you say. “Except for the part when I fell.”

“So, we can joke about it?” Chase asks with a grin.

“No,” Zach says. “Too soon.”

You look at him over your shoulder, chuckling.

“I think Zach’s more traumatized than I am,” you say.

“What happened exactly?” Esha asks, waving you in.

You step further into the cabin, struck by the enormous living room windows. They present a stunning view of snowy hills and picturesque cottages under the setting sun.

If it weren’t for the stubborn ache pulsing in your forehead, you’d want to explore more of the cabin. But Zach’s right. You should sit down. That walk from the car was enough exercise. You’re already dizzy again.

“It’s my fault,” Zach replies. “I stopped at some random store and that’s where she fell.”

You meet his eyes, heart breaking at the pained expression on his face. You wish you weren’t putting on a farce right now, because if you could do what you wanted, you’d pull him into a hug.

“It’s not your fault I don’t know how to walk,” you joke.

“You fell in the store?” Chase asks.

“Parking lot,” you say. “To get my wallet. Even though Zach said I didn’t need to. So, technically, it’s on me.”

You can tell by the look on his face that he’s not convinced. He’s blaming himself for this entirely.

You sit down for dinner, downing the water Zach encouraged you to drink, while he catches everyone up on how to help support your healing process.

“How do you know all this?” Maggie asks. “Concussions from playing soccer?”

“I asked the doctor,” he clarifies.

When you’re sure nobody’s looking, you reassuringly squeeze his knee under the table. He tenses up under your touch.

.❅❅❅.

After dinner, you’re bundled up in a blanket on the plush living room couch as flames crackle in the stone fireplace.

Nobody has allowed you to lift a finger. Every chore, down to putting away your dinner plate, has been taken over by one of your friends encouraging you to rest.

Zach’s on the other end of the sectional, tapping his fingers against the armrest. You remember that it’s something he does when he’s nervous. Why is he nervous? And why does he have to be so far away? You’re pretending to be just friends, but simply sitting next to you wouldn’t be suspicious, would it?

You know you’re not yourself. Your thoughts are muddy and patchy, but you’re already feeling much better than you did at the hospital because another memory suddenly blooms in your mind.

“Hot cocoa,” you say. Five heads turn to look at you as you point at Zach. “I owe you hot cocoa for staying back to drive me.”

“Yeah,” Zach says, his dimpled grin making your heart skip. “Your memories are coming back.”

You nod with a bright smile. At this moment, as he gazes at you from across the room, he realizes just how much he worries about you, he thinks of the kiss you left on his skin, and he accepts that he was wrong.

He’s not falling for you – he’s already in deep, completely enamored with no hope of pulling himself out.

.❅❅❅.

After you brush your teeth, you pad downstairs to the kitchen before you head to sleep in the bedroom you’re sharing with the girls.

You’re walking back through the dimly lit house when you hear the floorboards creak under someone’s weight. Zach rounds the corner at the bottom of the staircase.

“Hi,” you say sweetly. He towers over you and your eyes drift down to the red and black flannel he’s wearing. “The famous grandpa pj’s.”

“Yeah,” he laughs, happy you remember yet another thing.

His chest twists, conflicted because he enjoys the familiar comfort of being alone with you, but is also anxious in case you still have the wrong idea about the nature of your relationship.

“Proud of me for hydrating?” you ask, holding up the cup of water you just got for yourself.

“Very proud.” He walks past you. “Sleep well.”

You’re confused. It’s unlike him. You remember enough to know he’s typically kind and talkative.

“Hey,” you say, turning to look at him. He meets your gaze, lips slightly parted, visibly tense. “What’s wrong? You don’t really blame yourself, do you? I’m fine.”

His lips curl into a frown. He’s not convinced.

“Please don’t worry,” you continue softly, stepping towards him. “You’ve been taking such good care of me. You’re the best friend a concussed girl could have.”

Friend. Does that mean you no longer think he’s your boyfriend? Have you forgotten about the whole thing entirely?

Before he can ask to be sure, he realizes you were being playful with the word, because you quickly look over your shoulder, then unexpectedly pop up on your tiptoes to plant a kiss on his lips.

“I made sure nobody saw,” you say in an amused whisper. “Good night.”

You rush upstairs, an electric current zipping through you even though you’ve kissed him a million times before.

Zach is standing still in the hallway, heart hammering, blood running hot. He’s lost count of how many times he daydreamed about kissing you. Now, he felt your lips against his for real, and his mind and body are a jumbled mess.

There’s a chance you like him back and now feel uninhibited to offer him the affection you’ve always wanted to give him. Or you’re just confused and you’ll be horrified to learn that he let you believe you’re dating when you were dazed and vulnerable.

If your memory isn’t solid by tomorrow, he’ll have to correct it himself. And he can only hope he won’t ruin your friendship in the process.

››› saturday

You’re walking towards the kitchen, the taste of toothpaste fresh on your tongue. You’re glad you woke up with a much clearer mind. You remember more of yesterday; it’s almost a complete picture in your head.

Zach and Malek are sitting at the breakfast table, cradling mugs of coffee. Zach’s eyes dart away from yours the moment he sees you. It makes your heart sink.

“Hi,” you say to them.

“Morning,” Malek replies.

“Feeling better?” Zach asks.

“Headache’s gone,” you answer. He nods, but doesn’t look at you again.

He’s been acting weird and you’re not sure if it’s just guilt over your fall. The memory of you lying in bed with him a few days ago is so clear. What happened between then and yesterday?

You must have had a fight that you’re forgetting about. You’re sure Zach would be selfless enough to pretend that you’re on good terms while you’re concussed, but he can’t hide that he’s on edge.

“Bad sleep?” you ask, looking down at his drink. “You only drink coffee when you’re desperate.”

His eyes finally find yours again, softening when they do. It’s the early morning and he’s wearing sweats and a hoodie and his dark honey hair is a tousled mess, yet he still looks so handsome and it feels unfair to not be able to kiss him.

“You remember that, too,” he says with relief. “Anything else come up?”

“Nothing that feels important,” you admit with a shrug. Disappointment flashes over his features and you chew on your lip in saddened confusion.

Zach hates seeing the hurt on your face. He needs to have this conversation now and get it over with.

“Do you want to get some fresh air?” he asks.

“That sounds nice,” you answer.

“You’re insane,” Malek says. “It’s like the North Pole out there.”

“Exactly,” you reply with a laugh. “It makes you appreciate being inside even more.”

.❅❅❅.

You stand side-by-side on the snow-covered balcony leading out to the back of the cabin, bundled up in your coats, hats, and mittens.

“It’s so pretty out here,” you whisper, gazing out at the frozen lake hugged by patches of trees.

“It is,” Zach says. His breath comes out in a small puff of fog as he ruminates over how to tell you what he needs to tell you.

“All that ice,” you mumble, “and so many different ways to fall on it.”

He cracks a smile.

“Still too soon to joke about it,” he says.

“Even I don’t get a free pass?” you chuckle.

You reach for his hand, feeling his warmth through your mittens. Zach clears his throat and pulls out of your grasp.

“There’s something I haven’t told you,” he begins. His cheeks redden. “And please hear me out. I was doing what I thought was–”

The sound of the door sliding open interrupts him. You both look back to see Malek ambling out onto the balcony with his hands stuffed in his coat pockets.

“Maybe you guys are onto something,” he says. “We didn’t come all the way out here not to appreciate the views, right?”

He stands between you two and despite the tension, you and Zach share a smile, knowingly both irritated yet amused at your friend’s clueless intrusion.

.❅❅❅.

When you head back inside, everyone else has woken up, loudly chattering in the kitchen. You’re pulled into a conversation with Esha and Maggie while Chase asks Zach to help him with starting the fire.

It’s hard to absorb the words your friends are saying after the way you and Zach left things a few minutes ago.

“Can someone turn on some music?” Maggie eventually asks. “I left my phone upstairs.”

“Sure,” you offer.

“No screens!” Esha shouts.

“It’ll just be for a second,” you laugh. You connect to the speaker. When you realize you have an unfamiliar playlist open, you curiously scroll through the songs.

Zach comes back into the kitchen, dusting off his hands.

You tap on the first track in the playlist. A slow, gentle song buzzes from the living room.

Then, it hits you like a wave.

This song played in his car on the way here. You dozed off listening to it. You woke up from a dream.

A dream.

Zach isn’t your boyfriend. He never was.

The puzzle pieces have finally snapped together, and the picture isn’t pretty.

You stare at him, the realization harsh and unsettling. The possibility of a fight you forgot about had run through your head, but the fact that you were never even together is startling.

Zach can see it immediately, the discomfort on your face. He thought he wanted you to figure it out on your own. Now that you have, he regrets not telling you the truth right away.

“Uh, my… phone is about to die,” you stammer, stopping the song. “Be right back.”

You leave the room, and while everyone else carries on conversation, Zach’s heart is in his stomach. He messed up. Possibly irreversibly.

He trails behind you, whispering your name as you rush up the stairs. You turn to face him once you reach your bedroom, nearly breathless.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” you ask, the embarrassment wringing out your insides.

“I’m sorry,” he says. “Can you sit down? You need to take it easy.”

“Zach,” you assert. He sighs in worry.

“I was about to tell you outside, but then we got interrupted.”

“Why didn’t you just tell me right away?” you say. “I… oh, my God. I kissed you last night.”

Zach rakes his hand through his hair as you step back and exhale in disbelief.

“The doctor said I shouldn’t stress you out,” he explains. “I didn’t want to confuse you or embarrass you–”

“Too late,” you interrupt with a note of sadness.

It’s a punch to Zach’s gut seeing you so upset because of something he did. He’d actually prefer a real punch right now. At least then, he’d know the pain will fade. The guilt filling his chest feels like it’ll be there forever.

“I – I was doing what I thought was best,” he says. “She said you were fragile and it freaked me out and I promise, the last thing I want to do is upset you or mess with your healing.”

You can see that he’s in distress, but so are you. You spilled your heart out to him, you touched and kissed him while under the impression that you shared a love that wasn’t there.

“Please don’t think I’m a creep or something – I just – I honestly didn’t expect that kiss,” he admits. “I would’ve stopped it if I did.”

You have to look away. Why would he have stopped it? Because you weren’t in your right mind? Or because he wouldn’t ever want you to kiss him?

You hope he has it in him to at least admit if he feels anything for you. This is the time to do it after you embarrassed yourself so immensely. You stare down at the floor, silently praying that he’ll reassure you.

Zach’s throat tightens. Seeing you like this makes his shame so overpowering that his eyes start to burn with tears.

“I’m sorry,” he repeats. He steps out of the room before you can see him cry. He doesn’t want to make this about him. He wants to give you space.

You’re left standing alone in the silence, your heart cracked right down the middle.

.❅❅❅.

Zach doesn’t let his gaze linger on you for the rest of the day. He’s terrified he’ll have to face his fear of losing you.

What’ll life look like without you? You met and then all of a sudden, you became a ray of light in his world, always able to make him smile, always on his mind. He can’t stomach making you uncomfortable. You looked so disgusted that he went along with a lie.

After dinner, you’re all sitting in the living room and helping Maggie set up a board game. That’s when Zach finally allows himself to look at you.

You’re sitting in front of the fireplace, quietly reading the instructions to yourself, lips moving with the words. Worrisome curiosity gnaws at him, eager to find out if your mind is clear again.

“Does reading still feel weird or is it okay now?” he asks you from across the room.

“Oh – yeah,” you say, caught off guard. You haven’t spoken since your fight this morning. “It’s okay now.”

“Where have you been, MacLaren?” Maggie laughs. “We established she’s back to normal like three hours ago.”

“Do we need to check your head?” Chase jokes.

Zach forces a laugh. He’s been too lost in his thoughts to absorb himself in the conversations happening around him all day. The possibility of making you uncomfortable simply by being in the same room as you is too heavy to ignore at this point.

“Maybe,” he says. “I should probably turn in.”

“What?” Malek shouts. “I was going to kick your ass at… what’s this game called again?”

“You can kick my ass later,” Zach mumbles, standing up. “Sorry, guys.”

“Lame,” Maggie sighs.

You keep your gaze on him as he leaves the room, but his eyes stay on the floor the entire time.

.❅❅❅.

You gently knock on the boys’ bedroom door, listening to your friends’ enthusiastic competition-fuelled conversations echoing from downstairs.

It’s been fifteen minutes since you started the board game and two since you purposely knocked yourself out of it. You excused yourself to take a shower, but your intention was always to come up and talk to Zach. Even though you’d left things so tense, you need to make sure of one thing.

“Yeah?” His voice on the other side of the door is muffled. You step into the dark room, the hallway light spilling in.

“It’s me,” you whisper into the dimness. “Sorry. You’re not sleeping, are you?”

“No. I can’t,” he admits. You hear a mattress creak. A light turns on with a click. Zach’s standing by a lamp, almost looking wounded.

You step inside, shutting the door behind you, nervous as you settle on the edge of one of the beds. He sits on another bed and faces you.

“I don’t think you’re a creep,” you say. “I just had to make sure you know that, okay?”

Zach lets out a shaky sigh. He purses his lips, nodding slowly, and when you see a shine pool over his eyes, you still.

“Thanks,” he breathes. “I hated the idea of you thinking I took advantage of you or something and I didn’t want you to feel like you had to be around me if you–”

“What? Zach, no. No way.”

When he quietly sniffles, you’re certain he’s holding back tears. You knew he was sensitive, but witnessing him cry over the possibility of making you uncomfortable stings. Especially since he surely felt awkward with you touching him and kissing him, and still played along for you.

He doesn’t deserve to feel like this. You shuffle over, sitting next to him on his bed.

“Listen, I was just really embarrassed,” you say, desperate to console him. “I still am, to be honest.”

“It’s okay,” he says. “You don’t have to be. You were injured.”

“Yeah, but… how would you feel if you ran around kissing me just for me to tell you I never wanted you to?”

Zach’s jaw tenses. Is that what you think? That he doesn't want to kiss you? God, he’d spend all day kissing you if you let him.

“I’ve been thinking about it,” you continue, “and I get why you went along with it. I know you were just looking out for me. Sorry that I got so upset.”

“Please don’t be sorry,” he says. “I’m the one who should apologize.”

“We’ll never agree on this,” you say with a quiet laugh. “We’re good, okay? I’m gonna go take a shower and if you’re up for it, you should go downstairs. I’ll come down after and make you that cocoa I promised.”

Zach laughs, genuine and warm, and it makes your heart feel like it’s floating.

“Cool,” he says.

“Cool,” you echo. You stand up, almost out the door when he stops you.

“Hey, can you…”

“What?” you ask.

“Just… be careful in the shower. Don’t slip.”

“I’ll be fine. Jeez, you fall on your head one time,” you quip. He laughs. And his smile doesn’t fade for a while after you leave the room.

.❅❅❅.

You’ve just washed the soap off your skin and are about to turn the water off when you’re plunged into darkness. Standing in the tub, naked, completely blind.

For a moment, you’re afraid this is a symptom of your concussion. But then you realize the power must have gone out. You feel for the tile wall, pushing the shower curtain to the side, more nervous to fall than you’d normally be.

“Hey, you okay in there?” Zach asks through the door. He’s nearly breathless. As soon as the lights went out, he raced up the stairs in worry, using his phone flashlight as a guide.

“Yeah,” you call. “Did the power go out?”

“Yeah,” he says. “Do you need any help or anything? I can get Esha or Maggie.”

You smile to yourself in the dark, not surprised that he’s being so considerate of your comfort. You feel for the robe you left on the counter and wrap yourself in its warmth, then open the door.

Zach’s standing in the hallway, phone flashlight aimed at the floor, concern etched into his face.

“Do we know what happened?” you ask.

Seeing you fresh out the shower feels oddly vulnerable. This is an intimate state for him to witness you in, but you’re not nervous at all, and it’s reassuring to have the hard proof that you’re not uncomfortable around him.

“I think it’s the wind,” he says. “It must have knocked a power line down.”

“Uh oh,” you reply in same way you did when Chase texted about the furnace breaking. He chuckles. At least he can find comfort in the fact that you really do remember everything.

“I’ll get dressed and meet you down there,” you say. “Thanks for checking on me.”

“Of course.”

The lights are still out when you come downstairs in your pajamas. Your friends are huddled around the fire, amber lights and gray shadows casting over their faces and on the walls. The crescent moon gleams in the cloudy sky past the massive windows.

“Were you at least at the end of your shower?” Esha asks with a defeated laugh.

“Yeah,” you say. “I was just about to get out when the room went dark. I was scared my concussion came back.”

“That’d be great timing,” Esha jokes.

“Right? While I’m naked in a tub,” you laugh, settling on the floor next to her. Zach is glad nobody’s looking at him right now, because his cheeks are burning at the mention of you being naked. “Did anyone message the owner?”

“Yeah,” Maggie says. “He’s not answering, but I don’t know what he could even do. I checked online and the whole grid is out. I think we’ll just have to wait it out.”

“Chase cursed us,” Esha says.

“How is this my fault?” he asks.

“You tempted fate with your stupid joke yesterday,” she replies. “The furnace broke. Now everything is broken. Are you happy?”

“Honestly, thrilled,” he replies. “Pretty cool to have the power to control the weather.”

You continue to chat with your friends, feeling the temperature in the cabin slowly fall. Before you know it, it’s been half an hour and the power still isn’t back on. You’re shaking from the cold.

Zach notices the way you’re curled up, arms wrapped around your legs, surely colder than everyone else since you just showered.

“We should keep the fire going,” he says. “I don’t think the power will come back on any time soon.”

“What happened to the annoying optimism we’ve grown to know and love?” Maggie asks.

“I told you guys, I traumatized him when I fell yesterday,” you say. “I broke my brain and his.”

“No offense, but I probably would’ve laughed my ass off if I saw you fall like that,” Chase jokes.

“That’s why I’m glad I was with Zach,” you retort. He smirks to himself as he builds the fire, hoping it’ll radiate more heat for you soon. “I bet when my memory was messed up, you would’ve convinced me that I owed you money or something.”

“Shit,” Chase says. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

“Shameless,” Esha mutters. “Guys, I think we’re going to have to sleep here in front of the fire. I bet the bedrooms are freezing.”

“Aw, it’ll be like a real sleepover,” Maggie says excitedly. “Let’s do it.”

You’re all in a fit of laughter as you bring mattresses and pillows and blankets down the stairs, already sure that this is going to be a cherished memory. What happened yesterday has given you a new perspective on life, a realization that something as simple as your memory should be appreciated.

And it’s also made your crush on Zach even deeper. He’s done nothing but look out for you, down to pretending to be your boyfriend to ease you into your healing. Now that the embarrassment has faded, you feel guilty that you were ever upset at him.

The six of you lie in front of the crackling fire, wrapped up in duvets as the wind howls outside. You’re closest to Zach, your back inches away from his chest. As you gaze at the flames, you think about the way his lips felt on yours last night.

No wonder you felt so stunned after kissing him. Your mind didn’t know it was your first kiss, but your body did. The thought that it was also your last kiss makes your stomach sink. He’s had every opportunity to tell you if he likes you. He hasn’t. You’re just a friend to him and nothing more.

“Who wants to bet on when the power’s going to be back on?” Malek asks. You hear the click of him unlocking his phone. “It’s 11:30 now. I don’t…”

He suddenly stops talking.

“Did he die? I’m too tired to turn around and check,” Esha says.

“My ex texted me,” Malek says.

“Don’t fall into the trap, man,” Chase says. “What’s done is done.”

“What’s it say?” Zach asks. He stares at you as you lie in front of him, backlit by the fire.

“She’s apologizing,” Malek says. “She wants to get back together.”

“No,” Maggie says sternly. “She dumped you over text, dude.”

You listen to your friends chat, your eyelids growing heavy. Admittedly, you’re worried you’ll dream of Zach again. Having his heart in a delusion just to wake up and realize it’s not really yours hurts too much.

You shuffle your feet to get comfortable, accidentally bumping Zach.

“Sorry,” you whisper over your shoulder. “Was that your kicking foot?”

“Yeah,” Zach replies. “You just blew my entire season.”

You giggle quietly, tightening your blanket around you. You wish you could hold on to a shred of hope that eventually, your feelings for him will fade. The sinking feeling in your gut tells you that’ll never happen.

.❅❅❅.

A harsh droning pulls you out of your sleep. Your eyes squeeze shut, then flicker open when you realize someone is snoring. Loudly.

“Who is that?” Esha whispers into the pitch dark. The fire must have died down.

“Malek,” Chase mutters. “He sounds like a fucking dragon.”

“Malek,” Esha whines. His snoring suddenly stops and you figure she must have kicked him awake.

You chuckle to yourself, gently shuffling in place. That’s when you realize you’re up against a warm, firm surface, your nose brushing against the comforting fragrance you love so much.

You’re cuddled up to Zach. You pull back an inch, your entire body tense.

“How’d I get here?” you try to joke in a whisper. “Sorry.”

“Stay,” he mumbles sleepily. He pulls you in by your hip, squeezing gently in his daze. Your heart thrums and you obey, giving into what you want most.

››› sunday

You can feel the brightness of the sun behind your eyelids. The air isn’t cold. The furnace is buzzing. The power is back on.

You gain your bearings and slowly sit up. Everyone else is still asleep. You smile in admiration as you look at your sleeping friends. You love them all so much. You turn to see Zach, his lips in a cute pout, and you accept the fact that you love him, too, in a deeper way.

Friends. You’re friends. You’ll keep telling yourself that until your heart believes it.

You quietly make your way to the kitchen, determined to cook a big breakfast for everyone. Five minutes pass before Maggie walks in with a tired smile, commenting that something smells good.

“Sit down,” you invite her. “Coffee? Tea? I’m making a thank-you breakfast.”

“What for?” she asks.

“You all took such good care of me,” you say.

“Yeah, because Zach basically threatened us to when you first got here,” she laughs. “I’ve never seen him so intense. Last night, when the power went out? He booked it upstairs to find you. He’s been so worried about you.”

“Yeah, I think he still feels responsible for me falling,” you say.

She sits up to look over the wall into the hallway to check that the coast is clear, then waves you closer. You turn off the range and sit next to her.

“I think it’s more than that,” she says.

“No,” you say with a small laugh. “No way.”

.❅❅❅.

Zach shuffles awake, exhaling deeply. He drags his hand over the blanket next to him, looking for you before he realizes that’s what he’s doing.

It felt so nice when you turned towards him in a half-asleep daze, nuzzling your head into his chest. It took him a while to fall asleep simply because of how hard his heart was drumming.

He steps over his sleeping friends. Then, he hears a hushed conversation getting louder as he heads down the hallway.

“...think so?” Maggie says.

“No,” you respond. “Okay, I wasn’t going to tell you and Esha until after we got back, but… I was so out of it at the hospital that I thought he was my boyfriend and… he actually went along with it.”

“What?” she says.

You’re talking about him. He’s about to clear his throat to announce himself and pretend like he hasn’t heard anything, but then he hears your next words.

“I know he didn’t want me acting like that with him, but he tolerated it just so I wouldn’t get freaked out when I realized my memory was messed up,” you confess. “He was so awkward about it after. Trust me. He does not like me back.”

Zach slowly steps back towards the living room and goes up the stairs, trying to absorb what he just heard, trying to make sense of the fact that you not only truly think that he doesn’t want your affection, but also that you’re genuinely disappointed about it.

Back. You don’t think he likes you back.

This might just be the happiest he’s ever felt.

.❅❅❅.

You love how pleased your friends look at the breakfast spread you’ve made for them as they trickle into the kitchen.

“It’s a good thing it was so cold overnight,” you announce. “Nothing in the fridge went bad.”

Zach is the last one to come in and your heart, the traitor, skitters when you meet his striking blue eyes. How long until you can look into those eyes and not think about how it feels to be held by him, how it feels to kiss him?

“Sleep well?” you ask to make casual conversation. He settles in the last empty chair at the table.

“Yeah. My old man pajamas are really toasty,” he says.

You nod, skin buzzing. Does he remember cuddling you in the middle of the night? By the way his eyes linger on you, you think he just might, and in this simple, small moment, you feel a pinch of hope that he feels the same way you do.

You glance up at the clock hanging above the table to see it’s just past nine, leaving less than two hours before check-out. You try to enjoy the last little bit you have with your friends before you split up to clean and leave the cabin the way you found it.

.❅❅❅.

The cabin is spotless, the cars are packed up, and you’re hugging your friends goodbye as light snowflakes gently fall from the white sky.

You’ve been giddy with anticipation at the thought of having an hour and a half drive back to campus with Zach, even though he left such a confusing knot in your chest. Despite everything, he’s still a friend you love to spend time with.

“Have a nice drive!” Chase says as he heads towards Esha’s car, raising his brows at Zach.

After breakfast, Chase had asked him to join you two on the ride home to have more space than he would have sharing a backseat with Malek, but Zach apologized and told him he’d rather not.

When Chase insisted he tell him why, Zach didn’t see any reason to keep it in any longer. He admitted to liking you and said he’d finally tell you on the way home.

“Bold,” Chase had said. “And if she doesn’t like you, too? That’ll be like, the most awkward car ride ever.”

“I’ll take the risk,” Zach replied with a smile.

.❅❅❅.

“Wow,” you say as you drive out onto the main road. “I never made you that hot cocoa, did I?”

“You didn’t,” he says, pretending to be deeply displeased.

“Will you ever forgive me?” you play along.

“I’ll need to do some reflecting first,” Zach replies. You laugh, relieved that you two are joking like old times before this past weekend through you for a loop.

“Fair,” you say. You plug your phone into his speaker system. “Let’s see if I can unlock any other memories. And don’t tell me it’s still too soon to joke about it.”

Zach chuckles, cocking his head.

“I’ll let it slide,” he says. “I woke up in a good mood.”

“You’re basically always in a good mood,” you respond.

Zach can understand why you’d think that. It’s because he’s never been in a bad mood around you. Life is bright and easy and rich when you’re around. And it’s been even richer since he overheard what you said this morning.

“We passed a waterfall while you slept on the way up here,” Zach says. “Would you want to make a stop to check out the view?”

“Yeah,” you agree, pushing away the reminder of what you’d dreamt about during that nap. “Sounds cool.”

.❅❅❅.

Crystal blue water rushes down in an endless torrent, crashing down to the surface with a dull roar. You’re in awe of how ethereal the waterfall is, white mist bubbling over the stream bordered by snowy land. The snow is still falling gently, the atmosphere cool but not cold, as if the earth is apologizing for the windstorm last night.

You and Zach stand at a height behind a railing, his car parked a few feet away on the side of the road. He purposely slowed down so your friends would drive far enough ahead to not notice you’d made a stop.

Now that he’s here, he’s painfully nervous. Worst case scenario, you’re not interested in dating him, and it’ll lead to, like Chase said, the most awkward car ride ever. He’s sure the remaining hour journey back to campus would feel like ten hours if this goes wrong.

But he’s always been optimistic and last night as he fell asleep with you in his arms, he thought back to every moment in your friendship when he had a spark of hope that he had a place in your heart like you do in his.

Over the months he’s known you, he got into the habit of trying to dull the spark, reminding himself of how much he had to lose if you didn’t return his feelings.

Deep down, he always knew he’d eventually give in; he has so much love to give you and the thought of keeping it contained when you might want it was getting harder to bear.

You could break his heart if you don’t want him, but it’d break his heart even more if you do and he doesn’t do anything about it.

“Wow,” you say in a whisper, taking a photo of the waterfall with your phone. “I shouldn’t post this, should I? Our friends might be mad that we didn't include them.”

“I think they’ll understand,” Zach replies. “I told Chase… uh…”

You lower your phone, looking up at him, unable to stifle your smirk because of how cute he looks from the way the breeze has messed up his hair. The road behind you is clear and quiet, the mid-morning sun offering mild warmth.

“You told Chase…?” you say.

Zach licks his lips, his mouth gently opening before he finds the words. He shifts to face you, eyes searching your pretty features, heart in his throat.

“I told him I wanted to be alone with you,” he says. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop this morning, I swear… but I… I do like you. Back.”

Your eyes widen in surprise. You look down at the snowy concrete, letting out a nervous chuckle.

“I heard you right… right?” Zach mumbles.

“Back,” you repeat softly, finding the bravery to look back up at him. “Yeah. That’s what I said.”

A sweet, honeyed smile grows on his face. He tilts his head slightly, looking at you the exact way you’d dreamt he would. How you always wanted him to, but convinced yourself he wouldn’t.

“I didn’t tolerate you acting like we were dating,” he says. “I liked it and I felt bad for liking it because it wasn’t real.”

You mirror his smile, your heart full of love and joy and the comfort that he’s been giving you since the day you met him.

“I was just doing what I always wanted to do,” you confess. His eyes glint with endearment as he brings a hand up to gently cup your face.

“I really enjoyed being your pretend boyfriend,” Zach says, his thumb gently stroking your cheek as you look up at him through your lashes. “Can I be your real one now, though?”

You sigh softly, nodding as he stares at you in nothing short of infatuation. He leans closer by a half-inch, silently testing if you’re okay with it.

You close the distance and your lips meet with a sweet, gentle tenderness like they’ve done this before. You pull back, remembering that they have.

“Can we count that as our first kiss?” you say.

“Absolutely,” he chuckles.

››› one week later

You’re stepping out of the kitchen in Zach’s apartment, tightly gripping the tray of six mugs filled with hot cocoa.

“Whoa,” Zach says, quickly standing up from his spot on the floor when you enter the living room. “Careful.”

“Her concussion is gone, man,” Chase says. “You have the test results to prove it. She can handle carrying a tray.”

“He’s helping her because he’s a gentleman,” Esha states. “Do you know what that word means or are you committed to being a caveman forever?”

“Caveman,” he repeats with a grin.

“Don’t give him any,” Esha mutters. “He doesn’t deserve it.”

You laugh as you set the tray down on the coffee table with Zach’s help. You settle in your spot on the couch as Zach sits on the floor in front of you again, tucked in between your legs, the insides of your knees pressed against his shoulders.

“I have to say, I called it,” Maggie says as she gazes between you and Zach with a big smile on her face. “Tell everyone how I called it.”

“You called it,” you say, putting your hands on your boyfriend’s broad shoulders, gently squeezing.

Her eyes dart to Esha and you share a knowing grin. You’d had private conversations about how if you and Zach were always a little obvious, Esha and Chase are the definition of the word.

“Ow,” Malek snips, holding the steaming mug away from his face. “I burned myself.”

“It’s hot cocoa, Malek,” Chase says. “It’s literally in the name.”

“Really good, though,” Malek says, giving you a thumbs up.

“Thanks,” you laugh.

The tray is eventually littered with empty mugs and you stand to clear away the mess, your heart glowing with the feeling it always has when you’re surrounded by your friends.

You’re scrubbing a soapy sponge over a mug when you hear Zach’s voice behind you.

“You don’t have to wash anything.”

You look over your shoulder, smiling.

“It’s okay,” you say. He approaches you, hugging you from behind as you stand at the sink, surrounding you in his warmth as your friends talk a room away.

He always enjoyed moments of privacy with you, but since that day by the waterfall, every second with you is more than perfect.

“So?” you say. “Did you get your wish? Was the cocoa life-changing?”

“Ask me again what you asked on the way up to the cabin,” he murmurs. “What I want most in the world.”

“What do you want most–”

“You,” he interrupts. You laugh breathily as he kisses the side of your neck. “I just couldn’t answer honestly the first time you asked. But it was always you.”

You turn the faucet off and tilt your head back, looking up at the ceiling with a smile on your face as he leaves kisses on your neck and holds you tighter.

It was always him, too.

(the end)

[celestiaras]

‧₊˚✧ ❛[ huntrix idol spotted having a romantic lunch date?! ]❜

━━━ .°˖✧ requested by ✨ anon ˚₊ ⊹

ft. rumi, zoey, mira (separate) x f! reader — kpop demon hunters

╰₊✧ you’re just trying to go on a peaceful date with your girlfriend, but nosy reporters have the tendency to get in the way┊1.3k words

contains: secret established relationship, paparazzi, reader isn't an idol

➤ author's note: my writing is really rambly and i kinda went off prompt, i’m sorry feel free to send in something else T-T

trying to juggle the busy life of a worldwide sensation kpop idol while also secretly dating someone outside of that atmosphere isn’t for the weak, but your girlfriend promises that all the struggles that come with it are worth the reward of being with you and having an ounce of privacy. most of your dates are restricted to the privacy of her dorm, usually consisting of much-needed cuddling on the couch time with snacks and an action movie after a long day of practice or a make-shift candle-lit dinner where you’re probably eating delicious take out (none of these girls can cook for the life of them, except for rumi, but she can’t make anything more complex than spaghetti). while always content with your simple romance life, when the special day of your anniversary arrives, your girlfriend is insistent on doing something different, even if it requires planning a stealth mission to reach your destination unseen. 

since she has one of the most recognizable face and hair in the nation as well as having huntrix posters plastered everywhere, dressing up in a baggy jacket, medical mask, and sunglasses are a must to cover up as much as possible (it looks suspicious as first, but once she actually leaves the house, it’s surprising how no one cares enough to spare a second glance). once you arrive at the restaurant she made the reservation at, she reluctantly takes off the oversized clothing to reveal a more appropriate outfit to be granted entry and is escorted inside, but it’s difficult to ignore the shocked looks the other guests are giving her with you following closely behind. 

as you settle in and enjoy your meals, the sudden sound and sight of a camera flash interrupts your peace. it appears one of the other customers has tipped off some of the major celebrity news outlets as reporters and their cameras press against the glass windows trying to get a shot of what’s going on, knowing that the rose in the center and loving looks exchanged meant more than a lunch between friends…

━━━ .°˖✧ rumi!! ˚₊ ⊹

╰₊✧ the best out of the three at not drawing any attention to herself on the way there. she minds her own business, knowing the best way to go unbothered is to remain hidden and to blend in with people around her. she plans out the route to get to the restaurant, point “a” to point “b,” holding your hand the entire time. 10/10, you successfully managed to go completely undetected! 

╰₊✧ when she notices the reporters, the first thing she does is sigh and think of the best way to get rid of them. although she doesn’t acknowledge their presence, the strained look on her face tells all that there needs to be said. rumi would likely make a deal with them, they could come inside and take a few good photos (with your permission, obviously) then they need to beat it.

“i feel awful,” she muttered, playing with her food using her chopsticks while deep in thought. “this was my idea to come out here, but now we've been found out and everyone knows when we’ve been working so hard to keep it a secret…”

“hey! don’t worry about it, it’s not that big of a deal,” you assured, reaching out to hold her hand in yours, “they’re gone now, so let’s just enjoy the rest of the night, okay?”

╰₊✧ even though the cat is out of the bag, rumi still can’t help but be a little skittish about it. her privacy is something she values a lot, and having one of her secrets exposed to the public makes her nervous about her other secret being revealed as well. not much in the relationship will change, except she might be even more tense than usual about going out together, so give it some time before she relaxes and is willing to loosen up about it.

━━━ .°˖✧ zoey!! ˚₊ ⊹

╰₊✧ the worst out of the three at not drawing any attention to herself on the way there. it’s not a normal outing, it’s a date with her girlfriend! the stress gets to her, and she might not be as subtle as she thinks she’s being, her behavior being comparable to a ninja student on their first day of class. 5/10, attracted a lot of attention, but at least no one recognized her and you got a big laugh out of it!

╰₊✧ when the cameras start flashing and reporters start asking questions, she struggles to ignore them because she’s nothing if not a people pleaser and doesn’t want to hurt any of their feelings by ignoring them. of course, you come first, and if you’re uncomfortable with it, she will dismiss them immediately (to the best of her ability, she feels so guilty), but if you give her the go-ahead, then she’ll probably host an impromptu interview right then and there.

“we met during one of our shows! she was my make-up artist, and i swear, it was love at first sight when she did my eyeshadow— like, wow, fireworks! she’s so gorgeous, i have to ask for her number, right now!”

you couldn’t help but smile at her words, heat rushing to your face as you laughed, “the fireworks are probably an overexaggeration—”

“nuh uh! it was like the fourth of july back in the us!

her passionate rambling about how much she adored you won the hearts of the people as they gushed about how adorable your relationship was. idols typically keep their dating lives private for good reason, but zoey’s openness was refreshing, and her pride to call you her girlfriend was evident to everyone. 

╰₊✧ once the news articles go viral and everyone knows, it’s like she broke free from her shackles. she loves you so much that she’s always wanted to shout it from the rooftops, and now she finally can! if you’re alright with it, she’ll post photos of the two of you together on her social media, run to kiss you after performances, and dedicate some of her songs to you, effectively winning the title of the cutest couple alive. 

━━━ .°˖✧ mira!! ˚₊ ⊹

╰₊✧ not too bad at not drawing any attention to herself on the way there, but her downfall is her overprotectiveness. if anyone’s gaze lingers on you for even a moment too long, her head snaps around and glares at them until they scurry off. 7/10, she might have scared a couple of people, but no one knew it was her!

╰₊✧ her intense stare also helps scare off the paparazzi. you would think they would know by now not to mess with her, but apparently, the big scoop of her being in a relationship was too tempting to pass up. was it really that big of a deal? it pisses her off to the point that she has to put her foot down before the night is ruined any further. 

“hey! do you guys mind? i’m trying to have a date with my girlfriend over here!” she yells out, smacking the table and scowling out of frustration. she doesn’t like being mean or raising her voice, but she thinks it’s warranted when she’s only asking to be left alone and to be mira the girlfriend rather than mira the idol.

you held your breath, worried that she might have just ruined her reputation with a simple statement, but the reporters seemed to love her attitude. that’s the bad girl of the group alright! she’s so brave for speaking out and setting a new standard for idols by standing up for herself! they took one last picture and left the premises, finally giving the two of you some peace and quiet. 

“so, anyway, where were we?”

╰₊✧ truthfully, mira doesn’t mind people knowing about her relationship with you, she just worries that they will bother you over it. she takes the happy medium of being confidential about it yet not worrying about hiding it. whatever your preferences are, she’ll adjust to it since she has no strong feelings about it, and will make certain that your wishes are respected. 

request:

Could I get a request with Rumi (plus anyone else from Huntr/x if you want but specifically Rumi) with a female reader and them trying to go on dates without being recognized please? (reader can be just a regular person or another idol, whatever is good to get the writing juices flowing!) Thank you if you can! 

[kuidore]

random ZoeYstery HCs 3 ✧ KPOP demon hunters ✧ Zoey x Mystery

✧ They’re the worst couple ever when it comes to PDA

✧ Once they’re together and he has her by his side almost all the time, Mystery is just. constantly touching her. mostly without even realizing it.

✧ His hand finds hers to link their hands or wrap his fingers around her wrist, he wraps his arm around her shoulders or her waist, he slouches and walks behind her with his chin resting on top of her head

✧ He doesn’t particularily care if it makes walking weird, as long as he’s holding her. She doesn’t seem to mind either.

✧ It feels natural, so he just does it. That was how he was accustomed to living beforehand. He’s still not used to having desires, let alone pushing them down

✧ Mystery would literally carry her everywhere if she would let him.

✧ If she ever mentions her feet hurt, or her legs are tired, or even asks how much longer they had to walk, he’s already crouched down on the ground and silently gesturing for her to get on his back before she even finishes her sentence

✧ He walks extra slow when he’s giving her a piggy back. Sometimes he even purposefully takes a wrong turn so they have to take a longer route

✧ On his back was like being in a car for Zoey. She barely paid attention to the surroundings, resting her chin on his shoulder and talking at him about whatever came to mind

✧ When she does realize it, she doesn’t particularily care. It just makes her squeeze him tighter and hide her face in his shoulder to try and keep her blush in check

✧ If Mystery isn’t carrying Zoey then he’s carrying her purse, her drink, her bag, whatever she has with her.

✧ He really wants to be helpful to her, the way she was always being with him

✧ She feels really guilty in the beginning for making him be her mule, carrying around her and her stuff. But every time she asked if he minded, he shook his head no without any hesitation

✧ She’s finally convinced that it’s fine when she looks over at Mystery’s face one day while on his back and caught him smiling with his teeth. It was the first time she was even seeing them.

✧ From then on she was more than happy to accept his offer or even purposefully complain about walking just so he’d do it even more

✧ If Zoey comes into a room when he’s doing something and has his back to her, she immediately thinks of ways to be a menace

✧ Among Zoey’s arsenal was; coming up and sticking a wet finger in his ear, tiptoe really close and try to scare him (which she keeps trying even though it never works), and breaking into a sprint to throw herself on his back

✧ Sure she could go up and hug him or give him a kiss, but she saved that for when he noticed her.

✧ Mystery could actually always hear her footsteps when she came into the room.

✧ Originally he always turned around, but as soon as he realized that she was attempting to sneak up on him, he started keeping his back to her and pretending he didn’t notice her presence

✧ Every single time she grins at him and smugly says that she ‘got him’

✧ Oh she’s got him alright. Got him wrapped around her finger, whipped, ready to kill or die for her. he was pretty sure she wouldn’t let him do that last one a second time, but he’s still willing and that’s what matters

✧ Yeah, she did in fact still date him even after telling him he was her type and then slitting his throat and sending him back to hell (briefly). Don’t worry about it. He thought it was hot.

✧ He physically cannot stop himself from glaring at anyone who looks at Zoey for too long or gets in her personal space. For the latter, if they weren’t in an excessively public place, he’d still bark

✧ Mystery’s jealousy is much more about being the direct object of Zoey’s attention at a given moment, rather than some sort of fear of her leaving him for someone else or being ‘taken’

✧ He wants her to always be looking at him, paying attention to him, noticing him. The way he always was doing the same with her.

✧ It takes a lot of time for him to understand the way she expresses herself and her emotions, but Zoey is patient and happy to explain it to someone so eager to actually listen

✧ One day it’s like it clicks, when she points in a store window bouncing with excitement at a dessert he knew full well she hated and he loved

✧ He passes the entire night just looking back through their memories together, picking out what had initially seemed like minor moments and finding traces of Zoey’s adoration around every corner

✧ She wakes up to him staring at her intently. She jumps a bit and almost falls out of bed, he manages to hold her tight enough to stop her

✧ He didn’t even wish her good morning, didn’t even give her the time to wake up properly. The first words out of his mouth once he was sure she was conscious enough to be aware of him were “I love you”

✧ She can’t stop herself from burying her face in a pillow and kicking her feet, muffled giggles making her shoulders shake

[baboey]

Folks talk lots about the Bad Saja Boy! interaction but imo y’all sleeping on another critical Zoeystery scene:

Mystery’s part during Your Idol:

Know I'm the only one right now (Now)

I will love you more when it all burns down

And then the close up on Zoey’s reaction, specifically on that second line:

That slow smile.

[fairyringsandwings]

A Demon's Offer

Summary: Unbeknownst to Zoey and Mira, Rumi has crossed paths with the leader of the demon boy band before.

Rumi x Jinu!

Ao3 Link

Rated: T

(A/N) This is based purely on the trailer, as the movie obviously isn't out yet. But I got too excited about the idea of Rumi x Jinu, so I decided to attempt a fic for them, even though we know next to nothing about them. So when the movie comes out... this will probably be pretty oc and just... not make sense, but until then, ta da~*

____

The moment Rumi sees him, a shadow falls over her world.

For a single eternal moment, everything fades into dimness and quiet. There is no infatuated crowds squealing and clamouring for attention, no blast of upbeat music with catchy lyrics designed to enthral, no roar of car engines or the bustle and chatter of the street. 

All there is him and her. 

And silence.

When he finally looks at her, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, she knows without doubt that it's him. His traditional charcoal robes and gat are gone, replaced with modern attire—a partially unbuttoned white shirt revealing a pink top beneath, skinny jeans, and converse shoes. His grey skin is now pale, and the purple markings that once adorned him are gone. He looks like any other human. No claws, no fangs, no glowing eyes that warned of the frightful power thrumming below his flesh. If he had been anyone else, she could have easily waltzed by him and not realised what he was, so meticulously crafted was his disguise. 

It was almost perfect.

Almost.

But Rumi knows what he is at first sight. A demon. A malevolent spirit here to harvest the souls of the innocent, so he may grow in power and influence. But it wasn't the infernal aura burning beneath his guise that gave him away. No, she knew him. He was the dark spectre that had haunted her dreams for years. A constant knock on her mental shields, pleading to be answered. 

It had been a decade since she had last seen him, in a time when she had thought her mother had been wrong about demons, when she had dared to think there was good in some of them. She had been a fool. All that trust and hope had earned her was a knife in the back.

Rumi stares at the demon she had once called a friend. The boy she had sworn that if she ever saw again, she would vanquish without a second thought.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

"A demon boy band!" Zoey gasps once they arrive back at their apartment. "That's diabolical! We're doomed! Looking like that, the fans will be lining up to hand over their souls!"

"Not if we stop them first," Mira assures Zoey. "Hey, Rumi, are you alright? You've been kinda quiet since we saw those demons earlier."

"I'm fine," Rumi replies a little too quickly. "Just... thinking of how we're going to deal with this."

Rumi ignores the worried glances thrown her way and retreats to her room, locking the door behind her. She closes her eyes and sighs, one hand resting over her heart.

Already, she can feel him lurking at the recesses of her mind, his fingers trailing against the mental barriers she had painstakingly built over the years to keep demons like him out. It is a gentle touch, like the brushing of a hand against her arm, letting her know that he was there, that he was waiting—as he always was. 

Now that he had shown his hand and made it clear he intended to stay in her world, it was only a matter of time before their paths crossed again. Since a confrontation was inevitable, she might as well do it privately and on her terms. 

Rumi takes the spare dagger from her bedside drawer and then sits down on her bed, legs crossed. She twirls the blade skilfully between her fingers, closes her eyes and focuses on her barriers.

She has always imagined her mental barriers as a forcefield that glimmers and gleams like a purple nebula in the darkness, an impenetrable wall that she controlled. Now, she envisions a single sliding door, just big enough for a human-sized creature to enter. 

There is the sliding of wood. The thud of footsteps. The fizzle of electricity as the lights and electrical appliances in her room switch off one by one. A chill runs down her body, her breath leaving her in a puff of cold air. She knows before she opens her eyes that he is already here in her room, standing close by, watching her.

"Jinu," Rumi announces, opening her eyes.

Fiery, purple wisps hover around the room, casting strange shadows upon the walls. Standing before her, almost blending in with the darkness, is the demon who had plagued her. Gone is his human disguise, for there is no need for it before her. He smiles softly at her, as if they were two old friends reunited, and not mortal enemies preparing for another showdown.

"You left me waiting a long time, Rumi," Jinu chides. "The lengths a guy has to go to get a girl's attention."

"Well, you certainly have my undivided attention now," Rumi retorts dryly. "What do you want?

"I think it should be obvious. What else would a demon want with a famous demon huntress?" Jinu drawls. "I want you and your sisters' reign of terror on the demons to end."

"Well, we both know that's not happening."

"It's in your best interest to hear me out, Rumi. You have no idea the storm that's heading your way. You and your sisters have caused quite the stir among the demons, and their tolerance of you has worn thin," Jinu warns darkly. "I've come to make you a deal."

"I don't make deals with demons," Rumi snarls. 

Jinu glides forward and kneels before the bed, his movements slow and cautious, knowing full well that at the first sign of aggression, she wouldn't hesitate to plunge her dagger into his throat. He tilts his head, golden eyes meeting hers. 

"If you love your sisters and want them to live, you will listen to me Rumi. I will offer you this once and never again. And I can assure you, no one else will give you such a generous offer. Take your sisters and vanish. Swear on their souls that you will give up your demon-slaying ways. Do this, and I swear I'll ensure no demons will ever go after you and your family again," Jinu offers, his voice eerily soft. "You can live a peaceful, normal life. No more looking over your shoulder, no more coming home aching and bruised, no more no more nearly dying on a daily basis."

"If you knew me at all, then you already know what my answer will be," Rumi says quietly. 

Jinu's eyes darken. "Still as stubborn and bull-headed as always."

"Keep insulting me, and see how well this ends for you," Rumi warns, pointedly twirling the dagger between her fingers. 

Jinu looks at the blade and clicks his tongue in disapproval. "There was a time when the thought of raising a blade against me was unthinkable to you."

"There was a time I called you friend too... and look how well that turned out for me," Rumi whispers bitterly. Within one blink and the next, she brings the dagger forward, pressing the length of the blade against Jinu's neck. "I will never be so foolish again."

"I was never going to hurt you back then," Jinu says quietly, his hand slowly wrapping around her wrist. "I cared for you too much. If you put your anger aside and trust your instincts, you'll know I'm telling you the truth about that."

Rumi wants to snap at him, to call him a lair. But even till this day she knows he hadn't lied about caring for her. Back when they were children, he truly had considered her a friend, despite everything that should have prevented such feelings from ever developing. All those days spent playing games in the forests had been genuine; all the laughter, all the teasing, all the whispered secrets had been sincere and not a clever ruse. 

But his affections for her had not been enough for him to spare her classmates. 

It had been Rumi who had introduced Jinu to the other children at her school at his request; he had claimed he had wanted to make more friends, as that would let him learn more about mortals and have companionship when she was busy with her demon-hunting training back home. Rumi had been more than happy to do so, eager to show off her friend and help him in anyway that she could.

But it had all been a lie.

Jinu had wanted to get closer to the other children, to make it easier to steal their souls, allowing him to grow in strength. On that day, Rumi had been forced to draw her blade against him. Severing their friendship.

"I believe you," Rumi grits out. "And it changes nothing."

"This isn't like back then, Rumi," Jinu warns. "Once I leave, you won't get this offer again. We'll be enemies. I won't hold back."

"Neither will I," Rumi swears. 

Jinu closes his eyes, a look of pain crossing his face. He draws her wrist away, removing the dagger from his throat. She allows him, sensing that he doesn't plan to strike her, not yet anyway. The next time they met, all bets were off.

"So be it, Hunter," Jinu says, opening his eyes.

He darts forward with frightul speed and places a chaste kiss on her cheek. it leaves a frosty impression of lips upon her flesh. Before Rumi can lash out with her dagger, the wisps extinguish, plunging the room into darkness. A moment later, the lights flicker back on.

When Rumi gathers her wits, she finds Jinu gone. 

For the first time in years, he does not haunt her dreams.

[lucenra]

He Knew My Name

𝓟airing ↳ Abby X F!Reader

𝓘𝓷 𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓬𝓱 .. you finally gain the courage to talk to the most known guy on campus.

𝓦arnings .. no warnings !

𝓐uthor's note .. this is a college au (he would def be a frat boy)

It was another day on campus, and for the first time ever, you were late.

The door creaked loudly as you slipped into the lecture hall — thirty-two minutes past the hour. A few heads turned, some with amusement, others with annoyance, but you didn’t really care. You scanned the room quickly and slid into the first empty seat you spotted, near the middle, hoping not to draw more attention than you already had.

You reached into your bag to grab your notebook and pen — and froze.

Of course. You’d left both in your dorm.

You let out a quiet sigh, already annoyed with yourself. Class was halfway over, and now you couldn’t even pretend to be productive. You glanced to your left, debating whether it was worth asking someone for help — and then your eyes landed on the person sitting next to you.

Abby.

Of course. Of all people.

He was one of the most recognizable faces on campus — always showing up in someone’s TikTok, always wearing that same silver chain, and always, always too pretty for his own good. People whispered about him like he wasn’t real. Girls giggled when he passed. Professors somehow always let him slide with late work. He had that calm, cocky energy, like he knew he didn’t have to try too hard.

And now, he was seated right next to you, calmly taking notes with perfect posture and a watch you were pretty sure cost more than your tuition deposit.

You hesitated, chewing the inside of your cheek. But not for long.

“Hey,” you said quietly, trying to sound casual.

He turned toward you, meeting your eyes, and up close, he was even more unreal. Sharp jawline, dark brown eyes, slightly messy pink hair, and an unreadable expression like he wasn’t used to being approached without a purpose.

“Do you have a pen I can borrow?” you asked.

Abby blinked once, then reached into his bag without saying a word. He pulled out a sleek black pen— probably some unnecessarily expensive kind, and handed it to you, his fingers brushing yours lightly. Just for a second.

“Thanks,” you muttered, suddenly very aware of the limited space between you.

“No problem,” he said, his voice low and smooth, before turning back to his notes.

You grabbed a random flyer from your bag to write on, pretending not to be hyper-aware of the fact that Abby just lent you his pen.

You felt his eyes on you once or twice after that. Not in a weird way. Just… curious.

And somehow, even with no notebook, no pen of your own, and no idea what the professor was going on about, the rest of the class didn’t feel like such a disaster anymore.

♡

After class, you made your way to the library to meet up with your best friend, Zoey. You spotted her at a long table near the back, headphones on, completely locked into study mode.

You crept up behind her.

“Boo.”

She jumped and yanked off her headphones. “Oh my—! You scared me!” she laughed, turning to face you.

You dropped your bag onto the chair next to hers and sat down, grinning. “Okay. You will not believe who I just had an interaction with.”

Zoey’s eyes lit up instantly. “Who, who, who?? Tell me right now.”

“Abby. As in the Abby. Abbs.”

She practically squealed, loud enough that a few people looked over. You threw your hand up quickly.

“Shh! We’re in a library, girl,” you whispered with a smile.

Zoey clapped her hand over her mouth. “Sorry, sorry. But ohmygosh, he’s so hot.”

You leaned in, voice low. “Right? And get this— I forgot all my stuff, and he gave me his pen. Like, actually handed it to me.”

Zoey gasped. “Wait, handed it to you with eye contact, or like… tossed it in your direction?”

“Eye contact,” you confirmed with a nod. “And his fingers brushed mine. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it honestly felt like a scene out of a movie.”

Zoey dropped her head against the back of her chair in mock shock. “You’re living my fantasy. I’ve never even been in the same row as him.”

“Yeah, well,” you said, trying to sound chill, “he definitely knows I exist now.”

Zoey leaned closer, her expression serious in that overly dramatic Zoey way. “So what’s the plan? Are you gonna say hi next time? Make small talk? Seduce him with your perfectly winged eyeliner?”

You laughed. “I mean, I want to… but what if he just thinks I’m another girl trying to get his attention? He probably deals with that every day.”

“Okay, first of all? You’re not just another girl. You’re you. And second, he gave you his pen. That’s, like, sacred college bonding.”

You smiled despite yourself.

Zoey suddenly perked up. “Okay, forget the pen. Forget the tension. I have even bigger news.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Bigger than Abby’s hand brushing mine?”

She nodded, eyes wide. “Beach. Party. Tonight.”

You blinked. “What beach?”

“Haeundae Beach,” she said like it was common knowledge. “Apparently someone on the swim team’s cousin is throwing it. Bonfire, drinks, music — the whole scene.”

You gave her a skeptical look. “You know I don’t do sand like that.”

“Oh my god,” she groaned. “You’ll survive. And it’s not just any party, everyone is going. Even Mira and Rumi said yes.”

You laughed. “Okay, but are we talking chill bonfire vibes or full blackout-regrets-in-the-morning energy?”

“Both,” she grinned. “But like, aesthetic regrets. Trust me. We’re going. I already picked your outfit.”

You groaned but couldn’t hide your smile. “You’re so dramatic.”

“And you love it.”

♡

The sun had just started to set when you and Zoey arrived at the beach. The sky was streaked with warm shades of orange and pink, and the breeze off the ocean felt cool against your skin. Somewhere in the distance, music thumped, heavy bass mixing with waves crashing against the shore.

Groups of people were already gathered around the fire. Some were dancing barefoot in the sand, others were lounging on blankets with drinks in hand. Someone had strung fairy lights between two wooden poles, casting a soft golden glow over everything.

“This is actually kind of… nice,” you admitted, pulling the sleeves of your oversized tee down past your hands.

“Told you,” Zoey said proudly. “Vibes? Immaculate.”

You were about to agree when your gaze shifted across the crowd… and your heart dropped into your stomach.

There, leaning casually against a log by the fire, red cup in hand — was Abby.

Same smirk. Same chain. Same energy like he didn’t have to try to be the center of attention — he just was.

Zoey followed your gaze and gasped. “No. Freaking. Way.”

“Did you know he was going to be here?” you whispered, eyes still locked on him.

“No! I swear! But… okay, maybe this really is fate.”

You rolled your eyes, trying to play it cool. “Don’t start.”

She grinned, nudging your side. “Start what? I’m just saying… the beach is magical. He’s here. You look hot. And maybe… tonight’s not about borrowed pens anymore.”

You glanced back at Abby — and this time, he looked up.

Right at you.

And smiled.

[ruruumin]

true rivals

₊˚ ☘︎ huntr/x! mira x fem! reader.

⤷ inspired by extraL by jennie

as the saja boys made themselves comfortable in their shared table with huntrix, mira’s glare was unwavering. resisting the urge to pull herself from this misery, she sucks up her frustrations and smiles wide for the audience. while the two men beside her chatter with superficial comments about her hair and face, a third voice breaks through the noise.

“didn’t know you were something to be shared, mira.” you say, tilting your cap upwards to expose part of your face. mira’s expression changes from annoyance to shock when she recognizes your smirk beneath the black mask. “i thought we had something special.” 

standing in front of her was a very, very special guest. mira’s lips press tightly against each other, gaze hardening on your figure. had you debuted with huntrix, the world would have united in glorified cheers. instead, you parted from them during your trainee days, choosing to go solo with your agent. 

mira didn’t believe it at first until she saw you walk out of the conference room. the expression on your face was dark and your agent trailed behind you like a puppy. the ceo was hot on your feet, begging for you to reconsider your choice and join the rest of the girls. you had a lot of potential, he kept saying. losing you would mean the entire program might sink under. regardless of his words, you left to create your own small company, one where you could have absolute reign over your debut.

the pink-haired idol thought that when you left, you took her heart with her. all those gentle gestures of affection, sharing water bottles and practicing difficult choreography late at night— she spent years shaking them off. when she closes her eyes, she still imagines your hot breath brushing up against the nape of her neck. she can feel the seething heat from beneath your finger tips as you guide her hips to the beat of the song. 

back in the present, mira closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. to some extent, she hoped you could have joined her in this new group. you would have been good friends with both zoey and rumi. and maybe there could have been more between the two of you. the spark she saw in you was still there. but she has to admit, you looked better alone. at the very top of the music scene, you shined brighter when you were by yourself. being held down by other people wasn’t your cup of tea. 

you wanted all the lines, the hardest dance moves, full control over the field. mira admired that most in you. this feeling of perfect authority that you wield. as long as you put your mind to it, you could do absolutely anything. you’ve done numerous collaborations that garnered both western and eastern attention. your stage presence was absolutely breathtaking when she got the chance to see you.

yet despite being at the height of your career, you’ve never once stopped teasing her. even now, you snuck through heaps of people to be in front of her. acting like one of her other fans, you gesture back to the poster.

her fingers are nervous and the palms of her hand was starting to grow clammy. a bead of sweat threatened to break through her foundation. underneath the gaze of the saja boys was tense, however, it was nothing compared to your sharp, almost calculating stare. 

“haha. very funny,” mira replies, picking up one of her posters, “who am i making this out to then?”

you slowly tilt your head to the side. humming a familiar tune she recognizes as your latest release, mira’s body starts to shiver. “how about… your number one rival?” 

she chuckles, signing the poster. subtly drawing a heart beside your name, she playfully rolls her eyes, “you got some real nerve showing up around here.” 

mira doesn’t waste a second giving you the poster, the excitement in her veins being almost as palpable as her many fans here. the two saja boys sitting beside her don’t bother signing the poster. instead, they sit back in their seats, exchanging looks to each other. the tension as so thick, you couldn’t cut it even with the sharpest of knives.

“i couldn’t help it. i wanted to see my favorite girl.” 

this mouthy response has mira at the edge of her seat, ears burning a brighter shade of pink than her hair.

“h-huh? what are you—?”

at this moment, the rest of the table is staring at her interaction with you. bobby is inching over with curious eyes. this level of attention has mira gripping onto the pen with a force strong enough to break the heavens. instead of entertaining the others at the table, both saja and huntrix, you think its a good time to leave.

“i better get going then. it was nice seeing you again, mira.” without wasting a breath, you straighten your back and start your departure. pulling your cap down to conceal your face, you weave through the crowd without looking back. 

she doesn’t need to hear it from you. she’s sure that when you left, you promised to see her next show.

[bloodstainedsapphic]

your quick footsteps slow to a crawl in the snow from last night's flurry. the blanket of white dampens your boots and muffles the impact. you come to a stop next to your favorite auburnette, also up bright and early—and equally grouchy about it.

"hey," you mutter a greeting, eyeing ellie's figure, but her attention is locked on the zipper of her green jacket.

"hey." it comes out as a low grunt as she irritably yanks at the zipper, clearly snagged on something.

"need help?"

"no, i got it—"

you don't wait, stepping into ellie's space so your nimble fingers can wrestle it for her. ellie lets her hands fall to her sides, fists clenched tightly, cherry color blossoming on her cheeks. the tense air between you is so thick that she can't bring herself to look at you. instead, the wood paneling of the nearest building suddenly becomes the most fascinating thing she's ever seen.

a few seconds of tugging and angling the zipper in several impossible directions later, you hit the sweet spot that allows you to glide it smoothly to the top with one final pull, properly shielding ellie from the frosty weather.

"there," you say softly, reluctantly letting your hands drop away.

ellie's eyes remain stubbornly skyward, but she replies with a sheepish, "thanks."

you don't step away, though, as this unexpectedly charged closeness presents the perfect opportunity to ask the real hard-hitting question.

"why have you been ignoring me?"

ellie's green eyes widen into saucers, panic stiffening her entire body. it's true. she has been avoiding you—going from spending every day together to ducking out of every room you enter for weeks or forcing her attention on everyone besides you during group hangouts. the abrupt change has been eating away at you. despite her attitude having more bite than the surrounding chill, you miss her, so you won't let her blow you off any longer. ellie realizes it too.

"seems like you've been busy," she grumbles.

you blink. "busy? with what?"

ellie can't resist the temptation to admit the truth, just hoping to get the words out in a way that doesn't sound too bitter.

"with zoey."

"z—zoey?" you ask, thrown off by the mention of a new friend you've barely hung out with. you practically gawk at ellie, mentally trying to paint a picture of whatever the hell has been going on inside her head.

ellie picks up on your disbelief, fidgeting as she realizes she at least owes you an attempt at a plausible explanation.

"zoey," she repeats, the name sour on her tongue. "i've seen you hanging around her a lot, i guess. saw her take you out to practice shooting, didn't wanna like, get in the way or anything," ellie's voice wavers as she digs herself further into a hole with every word.

ellie's trying to make avoiding you over a new friend sound believable, but it's weak. she knows it. ellie also knows it's unfair to you and feels the weight of guilt knowing how much her absence has affected you. what she won't admit is how much she misses you, how much the space affected her too.

you tilt your head, trying to understand. the silence stretches on for far too long for ellie's rapid heartbeat beneath her now-snug jacket.

"she taught me some, i guess," you agree, oblivious to the implications.

"well, like... i could show you how to shoot, too," ellie suggests tentatively, aware that she's leaning into the patheticness now. her gaze, once stuck in the sky, suddenly drops to the ground, glued to the toe of her sneaker, tracing circles into the skiff of snow.

you scoff at this new, flustered side of her, glancing around as if to say, 'is anyone hearing this?' ellie is always deeper than the front she puts up, but this is different.

"ellie, if you wanted to join, i'd love that—"

"or just us. easier to focus that way—" ellie butts in, grasping flimsily for excuses. how inconspicuous.

you start to see through the cracks in her demeanor. it's always been clear to anyone—aside from you, apparently. ellie can't understand why you're upset with her avoidance, and you can't pick up on the source of her frustration. loser lesbians doing their thing.

"oh, okay, um—" you scramble for a solution.

"don't worry, you've probably got a lot of practice with her, i'm guessing," ellie starts to brush off the idea before you can reject it, but you interrupt her.

"but. i want you to show me, ellie," you insist earnestly, shutting down her assumptions and giving ellie the opening she's been yearning for. she thankfully gets it, meeting your gaze for more than a millisecond.

"you sure?"

"yeah. like, really sure."

for a moment, ellie stares, a faint flicker of something you can't quite name lighting up her expression. then, finally, she subtly nods, stuffing her hands deep into her pockets. she looks a little less like she wants to run away and more like the frigid distance between you is starting to melt.

"okay," she says, her voice almost shy. "cool."

[gay-dorito-dust]

IM SO GAY FOR RUMI PLS WRITE FOR HER PLS

i'm gay for her too dude, so the feeling is mutual.

Rumi has noticed that you had been staring at her for sometime, for whatever reason she wasn't quite sure, but she was about to find out soon enough as it had been close to ten minutes since you've started the adoring staring at her.

So she quickly looks away from you and pats and wipes her face in case she had some bits of food left on her cheek, or anything similar that could be the reason for your staring, only to find nothing and breathed a sigh of relief as Rumi then looks back at you with a raised brow.

'What are you looking at?' she asks.

You smiled sweetly at her as you fiddled with the sleeves of the cropped yellow sweater you had stolen from Rumi's wardrobe, it was your favourite piece of clothing that she owned in comparrison to the more flashy and fancier clothing, it was fleecy yet not too fleecy for it to be uncomfortable to wear on the warmer days; and to top it all off it smelt like her which was the main reason you stole it off of her, something Mira and Zoey tease you about stealing your girlfriend's wardrobe sooner or later, to which you merely shrugged and agreed with as it wasn't something you weren't ashamed of admitting.

'Only the most beautiful girl ever.' You tell her as you grasp her hand, kissing the back of it as you admired the demon patterns that ran up her arms and dissapared into her night shirt, purple lightning you'd often compare them to as it was unique yet held it's own beauty and power. 'I'm still somehow in denial after three months of dating that i managed to catch your eye.' You added as Rumi smiles, a warmth rushing through her as she felt seen whenever you looked at her, a look that that made everything feel right and made her mind clear out of all thoughts but those of you.

'You've seen me with dried drool down my face, my hair a rat's nest and seen me wolf down carb heavy foods as if i haven't eaten in ages, and you say i'm beautiful despite it all?' Rumi teased you, a smile playing on her lips as she cuddles herself against you, tucking her head under your chin and throwing her arms over your waist as her hands dissapeared under the cropped sweater to caress the expanse of your back.

Rumi often wished she could have more lasy days like these where she got to cuddle up with you, whisper sweet nothings to one another as matching dopey smiles cross your faces, staying in bed for however long you felt like but the life of an idol was anything but lazy days in bed. She could say she'll take as many breaks as she can but would always be found praticing or rehersing the latest song with Zoey and Mira not even seconds after saying that, she often wonders if it annoys you in knowing that you won't always have her attention on you, and yet you've proven time and time again that you knew what you were getting into the moment you remebered where you saw her face from a few weeks after dating.

It was that reassurance and understanding of yours that had her doudts and fears running away from her mind, made her feel as though she could believe your words without an ounce of hesitation, to know she had found someone who will always be waiting for her with open arms and eyes that look at her with love no matter what.

You shrugged as you kissed her head, enjoying the feeling of your girlfriend cuddled into you, her body warmth intermingiling with yours as you felt the urge to fall asleep now that your girlfriend was finally where you shamelessly wanted her to be. 'Of course i do Rumi. It's impossible for me not to when i get to see you as your authentic self, with comfort and security that it only makes me love you even more, if that's somehow even possible as i already loved you as much as my heart can give to another,' You tell her as you felt her burrow herself further into you that you couldn't help but tighten your grip on her in response, 'but i found myself being able to do the impossible with you.' You finished.

'Sappy.' Rumi murmurs playfully as she kisses the hollow of your neck as she feels the tips of her ears burn from your words, feeling herself smile upon hearing your light laughter, the purest melody she had ever heard in her entire life that she could never get enough of even if she tried. 'but you make me feel comfortable, you make me feel at ease and at peace with myself and bring me back to reason when i get too involved with my work.' She adds as she fondly remebered how you argued with her into taking a much needed rest, she was being stubborn and focued on her job, but you were just as stubborn in wanting her to take a step back and look after herself.

'Someone's got to make sure you don't forget to eat or drink once in a while and i'll gladly be that person when you yourself forget.' You said as you fought back a yawn. 'But i think what we both need is sleep, eating all that food sure does tire a person out.' You added as Rumi lets out a laugh.

'tiresome for you maybe.' She playfully pinches your side. 'you get tired after eating food and need a nap that i so happen to be a requirement for.'

'i need my girlfriend for cuddles and support.' You retort back as you both found it harder to keep up the back and forth that sooner or later you both just fell asleep, completely at ease with each other knowing that you'll get to contiue this lazy day tomrrow, seeing as how you finally managed to convince Rumi to allow her voice to rest for a little while. Huntrix wasn't going to go anywhere and neither was your girlfriend as you and her went hand in hand into the lands of dreams where your conversations of being tired after eating continued as laughter that followed shortly afterwards.

[thy1quitcentral]

K pop demon hunters

Huntrix vs Saja boys

X Honmoon!NB oc

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

.................💗...................

"leave us alone for a second boys" Jinu looked to the other demons.

"aw man" they all whined but went further down the alley way giving them space.

Honey pursed their lips, they shouldn't be talking to demons. At all, all they did was try to take them from the hunters, who have been caring for them for hundreds of years.

"it's.....good to see you again" Jinu smiled looking at honey with a genuine smile. Not a fake one and not a sinister one either.

"look at you" Honey spoke up and smiled weakly "you haven't changed at all huh star boy?" The deity observed him.

"why are you here?" Honey asked looking down the alley where the other boys waited quitely. Demons were probably up to no good at all, honey wasn't bound to let them get any souls.

"we were tired of down there......we escaped" Jinu explains. The other blinked in shock "I wasn't aware that you were able to do that" they admit, who could they be aware, keeping of the surface and keeping demons below was their job, not watching what they were up to in the demon world.

"I wanted to see you again Honey moon" Jinu hummed, lying through his teeth. The deity blinked and smiled softly at that "I did miss you.... unfortunately" they crossed their arms.

"oh ho ho we playing that game now?" Jinu laughs.

"hm?... game? What game?" Honey looked around stupidly but only giggled and broke their lil act.

Felt almost like old times, warm and friendly.

From afar

"damn, Jinu is good at that" Abby comments leaning on romance. Romance hummed "it's whatever, more souls for us if he gets rid of it quickly" he shrugged. "They are so cute, it's disgusting" Baby smiled brightly.

Mystery only watched and observed Jinus interaction. He definitely looked happy with honey, unlike other times in the demon realm.

That just looks like a mixture of pure failure if Jinu got too close.

***

The two wondered

Rumi was still out and not home, it worried Honey.

"hey what's with the frown?" Jinu asked, lifting Honeys chin up gently. "I'm only worrying for my Core voice" they explain but huffs "but I am not to tell you more" they crossed their arms and looked away.

Jinu rolled his eyes "you know you can tell me anything"

"noooo not really, as much as I knew you, you are a demon and I haven't known you in like 400 years? So nope" walking into the air and Jinha jumps from building to building to follow them.

"let me prove it to you, that I am here to follow the passion I once felt like a lost" jinu said in Ernest. "Give you a true connection that no hunter has ever bothered to form with you" Jinu whispers.

One pause and looked to Honey "music?' their eyes sparkled. They frowned "no....I have my core voice with me and we are making a beautiful process, all my past core voices were my dearest friends" they explain and smiled.

"and somewhat, you aren't golden" Jinu counters, that made Honey quiet.

Jinu smiled then glanced at honeys threads, purple to magenta, their eyes glowing that same color for a moment before turning blue.

Honey flinched at the sudden wave and yelps as he falls. The demon boy jumps down and catches Honey "woah what's wrong?"

"I don't know....I have to go" honey spoke urgently.

"wait but-"

Honey was gone.

The demon sighed softly and looked down. So close wasn't he?

******

Honey had gotten home, both Zoey and Mira making some food this time.

"honey!" Zoey gasped "did you find her?" Mira asked in worry. "No, she told me not to follow her" they held their arm and frowned softly.

"I will respect that"

Mira and Zoey frowned for a second "did you sense a disturbance? Your looking at little...purple" Mira spoke as she put her hand on their cheek and checked.

"I am fine, just need a lil lullaby to soothe me" Honey grinned softly. Mira chuckles softly "of course" she rolled her eyes.

"ooooo yes please, it's always so great to hear you sing Mira" Zoey bounced on her heels then took Honeys hand, pushing them into her pile of fluff.

Blankets and pillows placed all together.

Zoey soon joined and sat on Honeys lap. "Oh! Sorry!" She tensed up and got off, bowing slowly and smiled.

There it was again, ya try to make a connection with physical touch and the humans react how they were told to.

'never touch the Honmoon so casually'

They all danced to Mira's song.

"throw it BACK HONEY!" Zoey yelled out.

They all laugh, Honey smiled and felt shy all of a sudden but paused. "Rumi" they turn to the door. Both Zoey and Mira stood up straight, finishing up setting up the table.

Rumi walked in and looked up, seeing the food then her friends...then Honey.

She immediately felt guilty, she was angry....and she lost control. She didn't mean to hurt them.

Honey only smiled "come on the food will get cold.

******

The girls ate and the deity sat and kept them company.

"I'm really sorry about the show" Rumi sighed "hey it's okay....we can reschedule" Mira states. They had called Bobby but it sounded like he had his hands VERY full.

"that human needs a raise" Honey hummed in thought.

"I don't know if that'll be possible...my voice it's..... something is wrong" Rumi admits. Honeys looked at Rumi with concern

"why would you move the single up then Ru" Honey asked gently. "Because we were so close and this is important" Rumi looked at the other two.

"for you too" she turns to Honey. "You'll be your truest you and your destiny would be fulfilled, humans won't have to die anymore from demons. All the demons would be gone" the girl fixed her shoulder sleeve.

The deity pursed their lips and nods "I appreciate that Ru, but all human are fragile, you should've waited."

"but thats the thing, hunters are not meant to show their flaws or fears. Especially not in our Honmoons precences"

Mira and Zoey both joined in at hunters, they both roll their eyes and giggled

Honmoon rolled their eyes with a small huff and crossed their arms. They say up straight, all high and mighty to please their friends.

Rumi giggled gently.

"but yeah we have to fix it"

"definitely"

They conjured up ideas and settled with Zoey's idea.

Later that night

Rumi pursed her lips and looked at Honey "dance with me" she said softly, face pure with determination.

Honey blinked for a moment then nods they walked onto the balcony. Rumi to Honeys hands

Then began to sing, the song of the first, the song Honey was created with. To see, please let hurt voice shine, it had to

They swayed and spun, Honey glowed brightly as it progressed. Their moves perfectly harmonized but it was riddled with panic and desperation.

Honey yelps as they fall, Rumi didn't hit the note again.

"dammit!" Rumi exclaims and sat down and stared at the ground, feeling panicked even more. Honey looked to Rumi then puts their hand on her shoulder and leaned onto her in comfort.

Rumi sighed sadly and closed her eyes.

******

Late at night, Honey doesn't sleep, they didn't need to. They sat on the rail of their balcony. Rumi had gone to sleep so it was just them alone.

"Give you a true connection that no hunter has ever bothered to form with you"

Why did that stick to their mind?

They had connection, they had for many generations.

Rumi and Honey were so close to building it. Honey turned gold ever so slightly

They disappeared, no memories of the rest of the concert, they felt....gone.

Part of Honey

A very small part

Didn't want to turn gold

.................💓...................

[manorpunk]

“I don’t know. Whenever we try to do stuff, me and Zoey, half the time she starts crying and freaking out, and she says it’s not my fault and she says she likes me, but…” Saintjohn Hadouken sighed through pinched lips, hard enough to make his cheeks puff, and shook his head, “...feels like I’m hurting her.”

Johnny Newsroom looked off into the distance and took a pensive pull of his vape. “She said she likes you?”

“Yeah. I just don’t know what’s going on.”

Johnny turned his head to look him in the eye. “Have you ever dated a trans gal before?”

Saintjohn shook his head. “I’m fuckin figuring out some shit about myself, bro.”

“It’s… she’s… let’s put it this way. Imagine if your dick looked like a scary clown.”

Saintjohn flinched. “I don’t wanna do that. I don’t wanna use my brain powers for evil.”

Johnny continued. “Imagine if every time you took off your pants, a fucked-up evil clown was staring back at you. Imagine trying to get close to someone while you’re like that. Imagine trying to have a sex life. Imagine just trying to love when you’ve got an evil clown under your pants.”

Saintjohn’s frown seemed to stretch beyond the limits of his face. “Can I stop imagining it now?”

Johnny took another pull from his vape. “I don’t think Zoey gets to stop. Everyone’s got a different relationship to their own body, I don’t know Zoey personally, but...” he trailed off, letting Saintjohn fill in the blanks for himself.

Saintjohn leaned against the side of the motorhome and sighed again. “So what am I supposed to do?”

“Do you love her?” Johnny asked.

A pause.

“She makes me happy. When she laughs at my dumbass jokes, I feel like I just cured cancer.”

Saintjohn smiled as soon as he started talking about her. Johnny knew that smile, he felt its residual warmth, the second-hand joy. He wanted the two of them to be happy. He wanted one good thing to happen in the middle of this disaster. The Midwest Autonomous Zone could burn to the ground all over again. As long as he helped two people fall in love, he would have no regrets.

“And, y’know, I wanna get all up in there,” Saintjohn said.

“Okay. Well. To answer your question. Be patient. Let her do things at her pace. Let her figure herself out. Give her space when she needs it, even if you never want to be away from her. If you mess up - and you probably will, we’re only human - swallow your pride, apologize, and try not to do it again. Trust that it will all work out.”

“That sounds really hard.”

Johnny gave him a wry smile. “That’s love.”

[later]

“I’m sorry,” Zoey sniffed, pulling away from Saintjohn, “I just can’t right now. I don’t know if I’ll ever…”

She buried her head in her hands. Her body shuddered with heavy breaths as she began to cry. Saintjohn looked at her. He considered putting a hand on her shoulder, then lowered his arm and simply sat next to her.

“It’s okay,” Saintjohn said, “I understand. You gotta deal with the evil clown.”

Zoey lifted her head. She was too surprised and confused to keep crying. “What?”

[deliwrites]

𝔹𝕒𝕥𝕙 ℍ𝕠𝕦𝕤𝕖 // Huntr/x

// DATE // 26th of June 2025 → 27th of June 2025 // PAIRING // FemHuntr/x!Reader x Baby Saja, Rumi x Jinu, Zoey x Mystery, Abby x Mira x Romance // WARNING // Fluff, suggestive, vulnerability, girlfriends being girlfriends // WORDS // 2.8k+ // SUMMARY // Bonus chapter to Revenge, where Huntr/x finally go to the bath house together! If you have not read Revenge, you should or else this won't make much sense xD

// Main Story //

It was weird being back in Huntr/x tower. I mean permanently. Somehow the public didn’t remember anything of what happened at Namsan tower. The last thing they remember was the public fall out of Huntr/x.

Thankfully that was easily covered up. It became a story of how this was all for show. Me ‘leaving’, them fighting. A publicity stunt to show growth and accepting peoples differences.

This story solidified when we released the song ‘what it sounds like’. People wanted not to like it, but so far it’s been our best selling song. Going Platinum within 12 hours.

We had just come back home from our first comeback performance.

“Food, food, food!” I chant once the front door opened. Mira happily joining me as we skip to the kitchen. The stack of empty ramyeon long gone. Opening the snack drawer, I squeal when I find a new bag of strawberry KitKats. “Yesss.”

“Honest, I don’t know how you eat those,” Rumi says, walking behind me to the fridge.

“Well you just don’t know what heaven tastes like,” I stick my tongue out at her while she smirks playfully. Grabbing a soda, she tosses it at me which I barely manage to catch. Taking three more before closing the fridge. “What so you throw mine, but you’ll be nice to Mira and Zoey?” I ask in mock offense to which she nods with a wide grin.

Walking to Mira she hands her a soda. Mira takes it mumbling a thanks while she continues to stack more snacks into her arms.

“Don’t worry Y/n,” Zoey comes up to me. “I love them just as much as you,” holding up her own bag of the same KitKats. She turns to Rumi, sticking her tongue out at her even more aggressively than I had. A giggle leaving my lips.

Flopping onto the fluffy couch in my bathrobe, I sigh with delight.

“It’s so nice to just sit,” my words dragged out through a contented groan.

“Ah, yeeaaah,” Rumi agrees, sitting down beside me. Leaning against me gently. Leaning my head against hers, we close our eyes, just enjoying the moment of closeness.

Missing the way Zoey and Mira smirk at each other as they too, sit down on couch.

“You know what's an even better place to relax?” Mira ask, my eyes pop open, I meet Mira’s gaze. Content smiles faltering, dreading what the answer will be. Her eyes flick to Zoey, causing me to do the same.

“The bath house!” Zoey announces overjoyed. My head turns just enough for me to look at Rumi. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch both Zoey and Mira sat on the edge of the couch. Looking at us, their eyes shimmering, barely containing their hope and excitement.

Rumi and I had never been. Ever. We were never allowed. I didn’t dare even if I were to go solo.

“I-”

“Rumi, you promised!” Zoey pouts, pointing a finger at her accusingly.

“When did you promise that!?” my confusion loud as I fully pull away to look at my sister. She grimaces awkwardly.

“Of course you had to remember that,” she whines, think it over for a second before sighing in defeat. “I said I would go the day before the International Idol Awards.”

“Ah,” I say and shrug, a smug tugging at my lips. “Well, I didn’t, so-”

“No, you gotta give it a try!” Mira cuts me off, giving me a pointed look.

Taking a deep breath, I sag my shoulders before giving in. “Ugh, fine.”

“Yes!” Zoey fist pumps the air.

Now that the Saja Boys had their own phones. I had called Baby in a panic. With him I never had to think about it. But going to a bath house.

Well shit.

“But- but-,” I started stutter, pacing my room. Eyes scanning my reflection in the windows. “What if- what if they stare?” my voice barely a whisper.

“Darling,” the voice sounded so close. Looking down at my phone the call is still going. What.

I don’t have time to turn around before hands smoothly circle my waist. Baby leaning over my shoulder, biting my mark playfully. “Want me to show you just how gorgeous you are? Hmm?” his voice is sinfully deep. My eyes meet his, he’s devouring me already, with just his gaze. A delightful shiver runs down my spine, nodding.

Walking into the establishment I stayed behind them. Still feeling unsure about it all. Eucalyptus hung in the air. The warmth in just the front room would normally comfort me. But now it only made me more nervous. Rumi seemed a lot more confident about all this. I hoped it her confidence in all this would help, but it didn’t.

Zoey spoke to the woman at the front desk but I didn’t pay much attention. My eyes flicking around the room. The windows are covered in a frosted window film, allowing in just enough natural light to make the white tile floor glow. Like they led straight to heaven.

Instead they lead to my nightmare.

Mentally shaking my head, I focus on something else. The wall to my right has vertical wooden slabs as an accent. Holding white horizontal shelves. The shelves neatly stocked with spa products. Lotions, scrubs and soaps.

“Would you like to add any services today?” the woman asks while Zoey grabs my attention. Placing a bracelet around my wrist which holds a key.

“Not right now, thank you,” Zoey answers politely.

“Alright, the baths and changing rooms are through that door,” she points to our right at a modern dark stained wooden door with a black frame. “Enjoy your stay. If you need anything, press the service bell in any of the rooms or come back to the desk.”

“Gamsahamnida,” with that, Mira and Zoey pull Rumi and me to the door. My heart hammers in my chest. Entering the locker room, there are a couple of other woman there. All seem to be nearly ready to enter the baths. I evade their gaze and focus on finding my locker.

Sipsam

Discomfort rolls over my shoulders. Of course it has to be unlucky number 13. Reluctantly, I open the locker. There’s nothing odd about it, but it doesn’t stop another shiver from running down my spine.

I just stare at the empty locker for a moment, trying to slow down my racing heart.

“Hey, you okay,” Rumi appears beside me, worry lacing her voice. I nod with fake certainty, slipping my jacket off and hanging it on the hook on inside of the locker door. She returns to her own locker and continues undressing.

My eyes locate Zoey who is undressing herself with a sway in her hips like she’s listening to music. Mira on the other hand is struggling with unlacing her boots. The other women don’t seem to be here anymore which allows me to take a breath of relief.

“I can do this,” I mutter quietly to myself, nodding like the motion alone will hold me together. Toeing off my sneakers, I take a seat on the wooden bench behind me. Taking my socks off I stuff them in my shoes before I place them inside the locker.

Finding the hem of my shirt, I pause. I wore Baby’s shirt, it was big hiding my frame underneath. He almost didn’t let me keep it last night. But in the end he did cause he knew it gave me comfort even if it only could up to this point.

Letting go of the hem, I opt for taking off my jeans first. Folding it neatly, taking my time. My eyes land on my patterns. While I luckily wasn’t entire iridescent anymore. Hadn’t since like 3 days after they had taken me and Baby home. The patterns were still there, darker than Rumi’s. They didn’t necessarily make me feel ugly. They just made it seem more like scars. And in some lighting Rumi’s were nearly invisible. Mine felt always on display, even if tried to hide them by wearing long jeans and turtle necks. They always peak out somewhere.

“You nearly ready, Y/n/n,” Zoey asks, startling me.

“Yeah, just go ahead.”

“You sure? We can wait, you know?” Mira’s voice laces with concern.

“Yes, I’m sure, I’ll be right there.”

“Alright, just come find us,” Zoey says. “We’ll be at the baths in room Sam,” soon after the door closes after them and I take a deep breath.

“Come on, Y/n,” I scold myself. Practically ripping Baby’s shirt off of me. I hold it in front of me like it did me dirty. My gaze softens, bringing it to my chest I take a big whiff. Nodding I fold the shirt, placing it on top of my jeans. Then placing the stack on the shelf inside the locker.

Getting up from the bench, I take my panties and bra off quicker than I ever have. Stuffing the items in the locker, I close it.

“Gaja,” I tell myself. My heart doesn’t slow but I go ahead anyway. I keep my eyes focused on head height. My gaze never lowering as I leave the locker room.

I can hear soft murmurs of people conversing with each other as I walk through the hall. The steam engulfing me in warmth. I’m thankful that the numbers are placed at head height. Mumbling the numbers as I pass by them. When I reach room 3, it doesn’t open at first, which confuses me.

“What? But they said room 3,” I mutter, trying again. Panic starts to rise. The murmurs from before feeling like they grow louder. Closing in. I look around me frantically but don’t take anything in. Trying the door again, this time with both hands but it still doesn’t open.

“Y/n?” I jump at the voice, letting go of the door to cover myself up with my hands. “Hey, hey,” the voice is gentle, a hand carefully being placed on my shoulder. Finally realizing it’s Rumi. She doesn’t say anything else, just holds her key in front of a sensor and the door clicks open with a happy chime. Gently, she ushers me into the room, closing the door behind us.

If Zoey and Mira heard the way I came in, they don’t mention it. Not that my eyes focus enough to even realize where they are. Rumi takes me to the showers and tells me to sit down.

It takes a while of Rumi using the shower head to rinse me down for me to actually calm down enough and notice my surroundings.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, staring down at the tile flooring. The tension in my shoulders doesn’t let up and I keep myself small.

“Hey, don’t apologize,” Rumi sit down on the stool next to me. Facing me. “I get it,” my eyes meet hers, searching for that connection.

“I just-“ she shakes her head cutting me off.

“It’s okay, it’s just the four of us in here,” that relaxes me a lot. Zoey had booked us a private room. “Here, I got a new scrub, that’s why I was out in the hall,” she answers a question I was curious about but hadn’t asked. Sitting up straight the two of us take our time, scrubbing down.

“Thank you,” I mumble, squeezing her hand as we get up and walk behind a tiled wall where the bath is located. She just squeezes my hand right back in reassurance.

“There you’re,” Mira says without opening her eyes.

“Sor-“ Rumi pinches my arm to stop me from apologizing again. She gets into the hot water, sinking in to just below our shoulders.

“Ah! Wow, this feels amazing,” a content sigh leaving Rumi’s lips. And I can’t lie, just dipping in my toes has me physically relax.

“We’ve been saying that for years,” Mira drags, smirk playing on her lips.

“Right? See what you’ve been missing?” Zoey's eyes open half lidded. Meeting mine as I still lower myself down, closing my eyes at the warmth. “I didn’t know you were this kinky, Y/n,” her tease causing my eyes to snap right back open. All three of them wearing a smirk. Mira's eyes go from my face to my left shoulder. Following her line of sight, my eyes land on a very dark hickey. Memories of last night flash through my head. I can still feel Baby’s lips all over my body, with watchful sultry eyes. Taking in my body like I was his most prized possession. Complimenting me with every peck, every bite and every hickey.

Making me instantly aware of all the marks scattered across my skin. Covering my chest as best I can with my hands - not that it helped. If anything it showed even more marks. Sinking even lower into the water. A blush covering my cheeks. Guess I should have been more worried about those than my patterns.

“I was nervous-“

“No shit,” Mira cuts me off playfully. I stick my tongue out at her.

“So,” I puff up my shoulders in confidence. “Baby showed me I shouldn’t be ashamed and that I’m gorgeous,” I confess though the blush quickly returns.

“Possessive and sweet? Ugh, disgusting. I love it!” Zoey sighs like she’s thinking of her own relationship with Mystery. And apparently I can read minds now. “Mystery is surprisingly gentle. I bet you get best of both worlds, Mira.”

She says it like it’s the most normal thing in the world, and I blink. When I glance at Rumi, she’s already looking at me - eyebrows raised, same quiet shock mirrored in her expression.

“You could say that,” what is happening? We never talked about this stuff! I guess we had always been too focused on hunting demons to ever consider being in a relationship. “Romance is the possessive one out of the two. Abby is gentle but won’t hesitate to put me in positions I never thought possible,” Mira doesn’t open her eyes, just keeps talking. “So yes, I do get best of both worlds,” a smirk on her lips.

“Question,” Zoey sits up straight. “Is it weird that my mating mark is on the back of my neck? I mean, you guys have yours a lot more visible,” she points at me and Rumi.

“Could be due to the position you guys were in when you two mated,” Rumi shrugs casually. “Mine wasn’t, but Jinu said he wanted it there. He places a kiss there, at least once a day. Multiple if we didn’t see each other for a while,” her fingers gently glide over the holographic bitemark. Located just below her left ear.

“That’s adorable,” Mira sits up, leaning towards me, raising her left hip just out of the water. “This one’s Abby, and Romance has an identical one on my right hip,” she says before relaxing again. “They had apparently had a heated discussion about it the day before. Abby wanted it to be modest and Romance wanted it to be on show. And settled for this cause they can just pinch my hips whenever they wanna tease me.”

“I never asked actually,” I admit, my fingers subconsciously brushing the spot on my right side, where his mark sits - nestled at the curve of my neck and shoulder.

“You tend to touch it a lot,” Rumi points out. “Maybe he did it for you?”

“That would be so sweet,” Zoey adds. “Does it bring you comfort when you touch it?”

“It does,” a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. “Though I know he likes it too. He tends to bite it, usually as ‘punishment’. But I’ll ask, cause now I wanna know for sure.”

“Same,” the words drag as Zoey finally relaxes again eyes closing. The room going silent. All of us relaxing like we very much deserved. The only sound our collective breathing. Slow and steady.

“Y/n, I’m so happy you didn’t, like, die,” Zoey’s voice is sudden. Almost startling.

“Wow, Zoey, way to be super literal,” Mira responds monotone. “But same,” a grin tugging at her lips.

“No, we’re not doing that,” I say quickly, shaking my head. “I’m not-” I can’t continue because Zoey’s eyes are glassy. Mira’s biting her cheek like she’s holding herself together by habit. And Rumi… Rumi’s already crying.

“I just… you guys just mean so much to me, and I don’t really know what I’d do without you,” Zoey’s voice cracks, thick with emotions she can’t hold back anymore. The tears come fast, and once they start, there’s no stopping them.

It turns into a messy, breathless ramble — the four of us spilling over each other, saying how much we love each other, how scared we were. I tell them how terrified I was.

Both times.

Until there’s nothing left to say. Just the sound of soft crying, of water shifting as we lean into each other, letting it all fall out. For a moment, we don’t have to be strong. We just have to be together.

[lazyninjaphilosopher]

Interesting little details in: Kpop Demon Hunters (with some theories mixed in)

Spoilers!! You’ve been warned.

I’m sure most people put this together recently, but just in case, the woman and child duo shown during Celine’s retelling of the history of hunters are Jinu’s mother and sister.

Zoey was likely a fan of the Sunlight Sisters when she was young; there’s a couple scenes (in the beginning when she’s shown sitting on the floor in school, and during Golden’s MV) where she had a magazine with the Sunshine Sisters on the cover. Also, the lyrics she’s writing down in the school scene are the same lyrics she’s sings on stage during Done, Done, Done.

Also, during Golden, I saw people speculating that Zoey was a child of divorce (when she’s being pulled in two different directions), which is a cool headcanon and would explain a lot about her eagerness to please. But also, if you look at the signs on both sides, the left ones are in Korean and the right ones are English, so it’s probably referring to her being Korean-American and trying to figure out how to fit both shoes before she found her stride.

I found it interesting during Mira’s part of Golden that it only showed her parents reacting negatively to her being a “problem child,” so I kinda wonder what her relationship is like with her brother.

Towards the end of Golden, when the girls are in the dressing room, Rumi’s poster is also separated from Mira and Zoey’s, further highlighting that element of isolation she feels bc of her patterns.

“We are Hunters, voices strong; slaying demons with our song; fix the world and make it right, when darkness finally meets the light.” I wonder where that song comes from. Kind of feels like a prophecy from the first trio, and the “darkness finally meets the light” could refer to Rumi’s mother and father, their union of which brought about Rumi.

I saw some ideas that Rumi’s father could’ve been a powerful demon (perhaps Gwi-Ma himself), and that’s why her demon voice affects the Honmoon, but I don’t necessarily think that’s why, whether it’s true or not. As a Hunter, her voice powers the Honmoon, so it makes sense that when imbued by demonic power, it also affects it. It also doesn’t seem to affect it negatively, as in, doesn’t cause weak spots? So it could be that her demon voice is more powerful, which is why it’s shown to ripple across the Honmoon without needing Mira and Zoey’s voices, but bc that voice still belongs to a Hunter whose voice strengthens the Honmoon, it doesn’t cause any rifts?

Rumi’s dad could’ve been in a situation like Jinu, where during her mom’s era, he made a deal with Gwi-Ma and was in the process of turning into a demon when they fell in love, and either was demon enough to pass it on to Rumi, or was fully demon when they conceived her. Someone said that the photo of the boyband in Dr. Han’s office might be a hint at Rumi’s dad, which it could be - he could’ve been a kpop idol who made a deal for more fame or something; I considered it to be another fake that Dr. Han pasted in the picture like he did with Huntrix’s picture, but the “To Han Clinic” is written over his doctor’s coat, so it’s probably legit.

Also, while the girls are in Dr. Han’s office, the magazine that Mira is holding has the Huntrix on the cover photo, and Rumi’s arms/shoulders are exposed, but there’s no patterns.

Dr. Han also has the same photos in the waiting room as he did in his office, but in different spots surrounding the photo of Huntrix.

I’m sure it was noticeable, but when Huntrix go down the slides and end up in the ball pit, when they look up, you can see the gold in the Saja Boys’ eyes.

In like the second before Jinu throws the bucket at Rumi, you can see his golden eyes. If you look closely, they stay gold until they’re grappling with the sword.

I saw a few reactors wondering what Jinu used to cover Rumi’s arm. It’s obviously not part of his shirt, the patterns all wrong, but we get a close look at it when they finish fighting the water demons and it looks like a washcloth or hand towel from the texture.

I just thought it was funny how Jinu’s expression changed when Rumi said she was everyone’s type. He’s so unimpressed.

So my personal theory is that Gwi-Ma heard Rumi’s plan and Jinu saying he wanted to believe in it, and maybe the song up to when Rumi touches the plants to bring the Honmoon into sight, then he was temporarily blocked off until maybe Jinu saying he couldn’t wait to see Rumi on stage. So Gwi-Ma didn’t hear Jinu saying he would make sure the Saja Boys lost during the Idol Awards, which is why Gwi-Ma wasn’t angrier about Jinu planning to betray him. (Or he heard everything, but couldn’t control Jinu/Jinu couldn’t hear him, so Jinu thought he was temporarily safe.)

Also, Rumi having patterns on her hands during the ending of Free, but not afterwards, is probably similar to when she first met up with Jinu, and after he explained about the source of his patterns, when he touched her shoulder and her patterns lit up her neck, they also stretched past her turtleneck but didn’t show that high afterwards. I think her innate fear and shame of the patterns slowed their growth, which is why they all suddenly appeared when she was exposed, bc she couldn’t hide from them anymore.

Also, after Jinu made fun of Rumi’s original pair of pj pants, she wore a different pair for the rest of the movie any time she was shown in pjs.

Another thing that was funny to me was how unimpressed this one Saja Boy fan looks when Huntrix are announced to come on stage instead of the boys, surrounded by eager Huntrix fans.

The Honmoon was literally in the process of turning gold when Rumi was interrupted at the end of Golden. She probably could’ve turned it gold herself, or if Mira and Zoey had been able to rejoin her, the process might’ve even been faster.

If Gwi-Ma’s first words in Jinu’s head were what he said they were, then technically Jinu might’ve made the deal believing it would save his entire family, but when he realized it would only elevate himself, he turned his back on them. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t regret it - clearly that decision has haunted him for over four hundred years -, but it could mean the original deal wasn’t struck with the intention of abandoning his family.

I tried really hard to pause it for this frame, so in case anyone missed it, this is what pops up between the announcer lady telling everyone the Saja Boys won and the boys announcing their special live performance.

There’s another one right before the concert starts, of just Jinu.

This guy (the guy who has been ripping off shirts all movie) has a Gwi-Ma shirt.

If you notice, only the patterns on the left side of Rumi’s body glow, the same side that her eye is golden on, before she declares they’ll make a new Honmoon.

Okay, so when Rumi is struggling against Gwi-Ma’s flames and it shows Jinu, you can see the gold in his eyes flickering. Also, idk if I was just seeing things (I zoomed in to figure out which three showings of Jinu during the song had the flickering gold), but during one of them, I swear you can see his pupils dilating slightly, and before his self-sacrifice moment, his pupils have grown larger, so… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Side note: I had to rewind to this scene bc I forgot I wanted a pic here originally, but sorry to shatter everyone’s hopes and dreams, but that’s not the bracelet Rumi gave him. But! The earring he’s wearing (you can see it especially during the sacrificial moment) is the same as Rumi’s zipper.

I guess it could be implied all the Saja Boys got taken out, but I’d just like to point out that we only actually see Mystery and Abby get finished.

Also, as for the girls floating at the end, they also didn’t need parachutes after falling from the plane in the beginning, so… maybe they can use the power from their voices to cushion/empower themselves? They seem to pull their weapons from the strands of the Honmoon, so who knows.

Also, some people have said that the Honmoon not being gold leaves a potential opening for the sequel, but the golden Honmoon was the goal of the Hunters to strengthen the old Honmoon. The new one Huntrix made is iridescent, not blue like the original.

Mira and Zoey’s outfits also changed from black jackets to white with the iridescent patterns on them after the trio hugged in the middle of the final song.

During the end credits, we get to see what Celine’s weapons potentially looked like when she was a Hunter.